Flu season prompts discussion on proper antibiotic usage

Over 140,000 emergency room visits a year are due to negative side effects of antibiotics

By: Carly Dougher

Posted: 10/7/08

With the winter season quickly approaching, it is time to review proper antibiotic use to help keep the community at large healthy.

As part of a statewide campaign promoting safe and responsible antibiotic use, this week is Antibiotic Awareness Week, hosted by AWARE, the Oregon Alliance Working for Antibiotic Resistance Education.

Antibiotics are an effective treatment for bacterial infections, such as ear infections or tuberculosis. These prescriptions, however, are useless in fights against viral infections, like colds or flus.

Improper use of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance, a serious public health crisis that results in "super bugs" and infections that are difficult to treat - if they are treatable at all.

The consequences of antibiotic resistance can be fatal.

"It is not an exaggeration to say that the ongoing development of antimicrobial resistance constitutes an emerging public health catastrophe," said George P. Allen, Pharm.D., assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Oregon State University.

Resistance lowers antibiotic efficacy, increases treatment costs and reduces the availability of antibiotics.

As resistance spreads further, antibiotics may no longer be effective.

"Unfortunately, we will never fully arrest the spread of antimicrobial resistance, because bacteria are remarkably adept at developing resistance, even when antibiotics are used appropriately," Allen said. "However, appropriate antibiotic use is an important strategy that may help to limit the spread of resistance."

To practice proper antibiotic use, when prescribed an antibiotic finish the entire prescription, even if symptoms subside and disappear.

"A patient who takes a partial course of antibiotics is contributing greatly to the development of resistance," Allen said.

Antibiotics should be taken only under the supervision of a health care professional, and should never be self-prescribed or shared with others.

"Sharing of antibiotics leads to situations where full antibiotic courses are not taken, and can lead to serious antibiotic-induced adverse effects," Allen said.

Not only can misuse of antibiotics increase the occurrence of antibiotic resistance, but taking antibiotics unnecessarily can lead to adverse health effects. To emphasize how commonly these antibiotics are misused, Atanaz Zargar, fourth-year Pharm.D. student at OSU, cited a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

"The study estimated that more than 140,000 emergency department visits annually in the US are due to side effects of antibiotic use," Zargar said.

Never take leftover antibiotics. If taken properly, each course of antibiotic therapy will be finished without leftover pills. However, if a prescription has not been followed properly and there are unfinished antibiotics, do not take them at a later date. Taking expired antibiotics can cause similar side effects.

"Antibiotics that are hoarded for future use may cause serious adverse effects if used past their expiry date," Allen said. "Leftover antibiotics, especially expired antibiotics, can be extremely dangerous."

On that same note, proper disposal of any old, unused antibiotics is equally as important. Return any leftover antibiotics to your local pharmacy for disposal.

"Unused antibiotics, if not properly disposed of, may contaminate the water supply and the environment," Allen said.

"Ideally, unused antibiotics should be taken to a pharmacy for appropriate disposal."

Proper use of antibiotics is a public concern that should be taken seriously, according to Zargar.

"There could possibly be a day in the near future in which some bacterial infections will have no cure," Zargar said. "I am afraid that in the future, resistance will develop and we will not have any solutions and many complications and deaths will rise with this problem."

With American's tendency to visit the doctor and expect a quick-fix pill like an antibiotic to make symptoms disappear, when a physician does not immediately prescribe you an antibiotic, try not to respond by pressuring him or her into writing a prescription. Remember that antibiotics work on bacterial infections only, and there is no benefit to taking antibiotics for a viral infection.

"I think that it is very important to educate the general population, who are users of antibiotics, so that they can help individually to prevent further resistance and to keep the current pharmacological options open for their own future illnesses," Zargar said.

"I have faith that everyone with any level of education can create great impact on this ongoing project if only they get the adequate information."