What Is Antibiotic Resistance and Implications - Must-remember Points

Every now and then we hear about children being ill and often being given antibiotics, sometimes even just for a simple cough or cold. There is a rhyme and a reason when and for what illness these drugs are to be given (so called "indications") and it's the domain of the respective specialist doctor to decide so. Example -a pediatrician in case of children.

The body rather than trying to fight the infection on its own gets dependant on the antibiotic to do this job (as the immunity gets weakened due to frequent antibiotic intake).Not only children but adults too succumb to this habit of over the counter antibiotic consumption for whatever illness they have. This frequent antibiotic consumption might not have an immediate implication but it surely does have one  in the long run.

Being an intensivist (doctor who manages patients in ICU) myself ,I often come across a lot of patients (of all age groups) having history of variable antibiotics intake over a course of time and that too incomplete antibiotic schedules and inadequate dosing regimes.

Implications of Antibiotic Resistance in Body

This all adds up to the antibiotic resistance in the body which has severe implications:-

1. The antibiotic which was effective initially for a particular infection would now be ineffective for the same .
2. Escalation to a higher group of antibiotics would mean further antibiotic exposure and increased cost to the patient (in majority of cases)
3. If there is a widespread infection or sepsis in the body ,most of antibiotics would be ineffective for the same and sometimes there are none which show effectiveness against the primary organism.

Thus it becomes very important to remember the following points :

1. Defer antibiotic usage unless specifically indicated.
2. Whenever antibiotics are prescribed ,take the full course and adequate dose for the same.
3. Try not to switch different classes of antibiotics for the same infection unless your doctor tells you to.
4. Last but not the least, take antibiotics on basis of a Doctor's advice only (preferably a specialist) and not on basis of diagnosis made by one's nearby chemist guy.

What we see now it's just the tip of this iceberg but if things go on the same track,it won't be long when the whole iceberg would be standing in front of us.