Understanding Antibiotic Usage and Its Implications

Image credit: health-secrets.net

What are antibiotics used for?

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. Some are highly specialised and are only effective against certain bacteria. Others, known as broad-spectrum antibiotics, attack a wide range of bacteria, including ones that are beneficial to us. There are two main ways in which antibiotics target bacteria.

Why do we need antibiotics?

However, too many antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily and misused, which threatens the usefulness of these important drugs. This is why it’s important that we all use antibiotics ONLY when we need them to protect us from harms caused by unnecessary antibiotic use and to combat antibiotic resistance. What is unnecessary antibiotic use?

What is an antibiotic & how does it work?

What is an antibiotic? Antibiotics are medicines that fight infections caused by bacteria in humans and animals by either killing the bacteria or making it difficult for the bacteria to grow and multiply. Bacteria are germs. They live in the environment and all over the inside and outside of our bodies.

How do I use antibiotic consumer medicine information leaflets?

Use resources to educate patients and their carers during hospitalisation, on discharge, and in the community. Antibiotic Consumer Medicine Information leaflets are a suitable resource that can be used to help convey important information about safe antibiotic use.

What are antibiotic consumer medicine information leaflets?

Antibiotic Consumer Medicine Information leaflets are a suitable resource that can be used to help convey important information about safe antibiotic use. NPS MedicineWise also has a number of useful resources that may help clinicians with educating patients and their carers about appropriate antibiotic use.

What Is Antibiotic Usage

1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10278
2. https://www.verywellhealth.com/antibiotics-factsheet-5221124
3. https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/q-a.html
4. https://microbiologysociety.org/membership/membership-resources/outreach-resources/antibiotics-unearthed/antibiotics-and-antibiotic-resistance/what-are-antibiotics-and-how-do-they-work.html
5. https://www.drugs.com/article/antibiotics.html
6. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/antibiotics
7. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-are-antibiotics
8. https://www.britannica.com/science/antibiotic
9. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-do-antibiotics-work
10. https://medlineplus.gov/antibiotics.html

Antibiotic Usage Information

1. https://patient.info/infections/antibiotics-leaflet
2. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/Antibiotic-Awareness-Week-FACT-SHEET-Action-7.pdf
3. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00280-1/fulltext
4. https://www.amr.gov.au/