Antibiotics! no doubt we all have heard about this drug in our life and many people, unfortunately, use these drugs whenever they feel sick even without knowing how they work or what they do, which in some cases they may be beneficial for them if their disease was caused by bacteria.

Does this action of
taking antibiotics without consulting a pharmacist or doctor is proper? 

The answer is simply no because it will lead to consequences that we all must prevent and reduce as much as possible and it all starts with a full understanding of “what is Antibiotic”.

What is antibiotic?

 Antibiotics – substances produced by some microorganisms (or by pharmaceutical chemists) that kill or inhibit the growth of other microorganisms, that they act in several ways depending on the pharmacology of the drugs and their mechanism of action.

When to Take (or Not to Take) Antibiotics

Whenever someone feels sick the first thing to do is to go and see the nearest pharmacist and describe the symptoms to him and then depending on the symptoms the pharmacist would prescribe the drug for the patient but if the symptoms were complicated and required further information then test for determining the pathogen is required from the person from laboratory.

When the symptoms are being described for the pharmacist or doctor the person should mention if he has allergy from any specific substance to avoid any other complications during prescribing the drug and to change it if required.

Following the instructions 

When the antibiotics are described by pharmacist or doctor the patient must follow the instructions precisely to avoid any unwanted adverse effects and reduce antibiotic resistance, and these are:

• Be sure to take the complete amount of antibiotics prescribed according to the physician’s instructions. Failure to comply may result in a reoccurrence of the bacterial infection. Know-how and when to take your antibiotic.
• Ask your pharmacist about potential side effects, and contact your physician immediately if serious reactions occur.
• If you miss a dose, do not double the next dose. Simply resume with the next scheduled dose as directed.
• Because some foods and alcohol may interact badly with antibiotics, discuss with your pharmacist whether you should take antibiotics on an empty or full stomach.
• Make sure that antibiotics are stored properly. Although most may be stored at room temperature in a dry place, some require refrigeration.

Antibiotics can be very powerful in treating bacterial infections when they are used properly. To maintain their effectiveness, they should be used only when necessary.

The best way to combat infections is to educate yourself and those around you on the proper way to treat infections without causing harm or making things worse.

What is antibiotic resistance?

Bacteria are considered resistant to an antibiotic if the maximal level of that antibiotic that can be tolerated by the host does not halt their growth. Some organisms are inherently resistant to an antibiotic or acquire it. Antibiotic resistance is rising to dangerously high levels in all parts of the world. New resistance mechanisms are emerging and spreading globally, threatening our ability to treat common infectious diseases. A growing list of infections – such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, blood poisoning, gonorrhea, and foodborne diseases – are becoming harder, and sometimes impossible, to treat as antibiotics become less effective.

What causes antibiotic resistance?

• Antibiotic resistance is accelerated by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, as well as poor infection prevention and control.
• Not following health worker’s advice when using antibiotics.
• share or use leftover antibiotics.
• demand antibiotics without consulting your health worker.
• use antibiotics when prescribed by uncertified health professionals.

Prevention and control 

1. If antibiotics are prescribed for you, finish them even if you feel better.
2. Never take antibiotics that were leftover from a previous infection.
3. Never take antibiotics that were prescribed for someone else.
4. Never take antibiotics for viral infections.
5. Practice good hand-washing techniques to reduce your risk of getting or spreading an infection—hands should be washed with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds ( reduce getting infections so reduce taking antibiotic drugs). 
6. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet, drinking enough liquids, exercising, and getting enough rest ( improve immunity system ).

What happens if we don’t stop antibiotic resistance?

• When infections can no longer be treated by first-line antibiotics, more expensive medicines must be used. A longer duration of illness and treatment, often in hospitals, increases health care costs as well as the economic burden on families and societies.
• Antibiotic resistance is putting the achievements of modern medicine at risk. Organ transplantations, chemotherapy, and surgeries such as cesarean sections become much more dangerous without effective antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of infections.