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The dangers of antibiotics!

Let’s talk about antibiotics!


Taking antibiotics is probably not something that you overthink. When you get sick, usually the first thing you do is make an appointment with a doctor to get a prescription to help you get better - am I right? Australians are over-using antibiotics every single day. This can cause major problems that you might not even be aware of.


Here are some of the statistics:

· Australians are the 8th highest users of antibiotics out of 28 European countries

· In 2015 alone, Australian Doctors prescribed more than 30 million antibiotic scripts

· Doctors are prescribing antibiotics for longer periods to prevent infections from surgeries (Antimicrobial Resistance Australian Government, 2017).


So why is over prescribing such an issue?

Taking too many unnecessary antibiotics causes something called antibiotic resistance. This is when bacteria becomes resistant to an antimicrobial that is used to treat certain infections. When a patient takes antibiotics incorrectly it is highly likely that antibiotic resistance occurs, which can cause side effects such as; dizziness, nausea, diarrhoea, yeast infections and worst case scenario clostridium difficile infection which can cause death. Antimicrobial can also affect the individual as they now cannot be treated properly. This then can even affect the community and the government by putting further costs on the health system and reducing the quality and effectiveness of health care within Australia (Australian commission on safety and quality in health care, 2017).


The Australian Government is taking action to reduce over prescription, and the situation is slowly improving, however part of the problem is us, the patients! If we are unaware of what antibiotics are and push our doctors to provide us with prescriptions, we could actually be negatively affecting our own health. Putting unnecessary chemicals into our bodies and becoming immune to certain antibiotics can affect us later when we really need them. If taken incorrectly, antibiotics can make us feel worse, not better (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018).


What can you do?

Although this is a national problem that the government is tackling, it is necessary that we understand how we can personally reduce the misuse of antibiotics for our own well-being.


Here are some easy steps you can take to reduce antibiotic resistance:

1. Regularly wash your hands to prevent infections

2. Stay up to date with vaccinations

3. Wash your fruits and vegetables and cook your food properly to reduce food-borne infections

4. Understand how the use of antibiotics works against bacteria

5. Do not pressure your doctor for antibiotics, ask for other ways to relieve your symptoms

6. Only take antibiotics that are prescribed to you and follow the instructions correctly (AMRAG, 2017).


Take a look at the diagram below to have a better understanding of what conditions you may need antibiotics for.


Thanks for reading! I hope that you have learnt something new. Comment below if you have any questions or would like me to write about a particular health topic.


References:

Antimicrobial Resistance Australian Government. (2017). AMR and human health in Australia. Retrieved from https://www.amr.gov.au/about-amr/what-current-amr-situation/amr-internationally

Australian commission on safety and quality in health care. (2017). AURA 2017. Retrieved from https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/antimicrobial-use-and-resistance-in-australia/2017-report/

 
 
 

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