Antibiotic usage

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Antibiotic Usage
Antibiotics are powerful medicines deployed to treat bacterial infections among humans and animals. It would be unfair to ignore the benefits penicillin and other antibiotics play in the fight against bacterial infections, preventing the spreading of diseases and minimizing some diseases from developing into acute or chronic cases. Antibiotics work by preventing bacteria from multiplying through reproduction or killing them. According to Christian, the human body is designed with an immune system that is composed of white blood cells for fighting harmful bacteria. There are occasions the immune system is not in a position to counter bacterial infections and this calls for antibiotic usage but caution should be taken to avoid misuse and overuse of antibiotics (Nordqvist, Christian).
According to Mayo Clinic, antibiotics are progressively losing their effectiveness at an alarming rate. Users of antibiotics must be warned that persistent use of antibiotics limits the body’s ability to fight bacterial infections. Bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics and therefore cannot be used to treat bacterial infections (Neu, 1066). Inappropriate prescription of antibiotics is an issue that needs to be addressed before it escalates into an everyday problem in the healthcare industry.
Any individual who develops a bacterial infection is at risk if the issue of antibiotic resistance is not addressed promptly.

However, persons whose immune system is weak to fight bacterial infections are vulnerable to harmful infections which may lead to death in acute cases. They include new born babies whose immune system is not fully developed. Patients suffering from complications such as heart failure, diabetes and HIV are also at risk due to their feeble immune systems (“Antibiotics: Misuse Puts You and Others at Risk – Mayo Clinic”). The aged persons are also affected by this escalating issue since their immune systems are worn out to counter bacterial infections. However, continued use of antibiotics has led to body antibiotic resistance where bacteria find ways to counter and survive the effects of antibiotics.
Antibiotics have constantly been overused or prescribed inappropriately in the quest to treat various infections. Some use antibiotics after developing a viral infection which is against the global healthcare standards since antibiotics are solely used to treat bacterial infections. Penicillin was the first antibiotic used and it was perceived as a wonder drug as it could treat most common illnesses with minimal or no side effects (“Antibiotics: Misuse Puts You and Others at Risk – Mayo Clinic”). Antibiotics have also been used as first aid drugs for any illnesses that arise before seeking qualified medical attention. The fact that they can be sold over the counter with minimal restrictions on the prescription makes them easily accessible and affordable. Many have constantly asserted that there are health implications related to the use of antibiotics. Others believed that the multiple classes of antibiotics, first-line and second-line, would provide a solution to the various antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antibiotic resistance is a looming healthcare crisis in the Southeastern part of USA. Infections from resistant bacteria have become too common leading to serious health problems. CDC classifies eminent threats from antibiotic-resistant bacteria as either urgent, serious or concerning (“Center for Disease Control and Prevention (US)”). This has placed a considerable clinical and financial encumbrance to the US healthcare system, families and patients. Despite the invention of multiple classes of antibiotics, some pathogens can adapt and survive the effects of antibiotics. Physicians are therefore prompted to use toxic antibiotics which are expensive and ineffective. This has in return undermined the ability to treat bacterial infections which may arise during infectious complications involving chemotherapy. Research shows that patients with resistant infections are more likely to die or have a prolonged hospitalized stay. However, survivors may experience delayed recovery or long-term disability in acute cases.
Antibiotic resistance has become a global threat to the overall public health. Alexander Fleming, the first antibiotic, had predicted that drug resistance is upon humanity during the Nobel Prize acceptance speech of 1945. A 2012 statement by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control estimates that 25000 people in the European Union die annually due to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections ((Nordqvist, Christian)). However, antibiotic resistance has been on the gradual increase to incorporate multiple antibiotics used to treat various classes of bacteria. The antibiotic resistance crisis is attributed to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics. Consequently, reduced economic incentives in the pharmaceutical industry have been the major limiting force to the development of a new drug.
The looming crisis of antibiotic resistance calls for individual and collective responsibility in restricting the misuse and overdose of antibiotics. Coordinated efforts are therefore pivotal in implementing new policies and renewal of research efforts in the quest to manage the antibiotic resistance crisis (Neu, 1070). More creative approaches such as therapy can be adopted to address common illnesses. The federal and state government has the mandate of controlling the production, distribution and sale of antibiotics through various healthcare policies. However, creating public awareness through the media is pivotal in educating the public on the consequences of misusing and overdosing antibiotics. Early approaches to counter this menaces embroils immunization at a young age to prevent bacterial infection. Everyone should embrace antibiotic stewardship in the quest to control and limit the inevitable antibiotic resistance. Physicians and individual involved in false prescription and use of antibiotics should be prosecuted and legal actions taken for violating the law.
Work Cited
“Antibiotics: Misuse Puts You and Others at Risk – Mayo Clinic”. Mayoclinic.Org, 2016,
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/antibiotics/art-20045720.
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US). Antibiotic resistance threats in the United
States, 2013. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services, 2013.
Neu, Harold C. “The crisis in antibiotic resistance.” Science 257.5073 (1992): 1064-1073.
Nordqvist, Christian. “Antibiotics: How Do Antibiotics Work?”. Medical News Today, 2016,
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10278.php.