Abuse weakens antibiotics in fighting disease
By The Nation
Growing resistance of disease strains to antibiotics has become critical in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, prompting health experts from around the world to meet in Bangkok this week to plan how to cope with this threat.
"Thailand is now facing the critical situation of antibiotic drug resistance caused by the irrational use of antibiotic drugs," said Niyada Kiatying-Angsulee of the Thai drug-watch system programme.
"Thailand now has imported and produced antibiotic drugs valued at over Bt20 billion a year," she added.
She said medical personnel were to blame for their irrational prescription and dispensing of drugs to patients.
Also, patients were buying drugs without consultation from physicians or experts, leading to inappropriate drug use. Antibiotic drugs for humans had also had been used in animals and fisheries.
"[As a result] many diseases will not be cured as there are no new drugs available for treatment," she said.
To cope with the rise in drug resistance, the drug-watch system programme will team up with ReAct - a Sweden-based organisation that campaigns for public awareness on drug resistance - to hold a three-day international meeting from tomorrow, bringing together hundreds of health experts worldwide to draw up resolutions to tackle drug resistance in the region.
-- The Nation 2011-05-02
Antibiotic overuse/abuse
Antibiotic overuse/abuse
I think this is a big problem here as I had a lengthy illness earlier this year and the response I got from medical personnel (2 physicians and a pharmacist) was 4 different antibiotics during the course of the problem. None helped and I finally began to feel better on my own weeks after taking the last of the four antibiotics.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
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littlebird
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Re: Antibiotic overuse/abuse
Prolonged use of an antibiotic will lead to resistance which is why many doctors now advocate a higher dose over a short time.
Many infections are short lived and typically the patient will wait 3 days to see if the problem clears up on its own. If it does not, they visit the doctor who may prescribe an antibiotic which typically takes about 3 days for effective levels in the body to be reached (apart from IV antibiotics). By the end of the approximate 6 days period most infections will be resolving on their own.
Many infections are short lived and typically the patient will wait 3 days to see if the problem clears up on its own. If it does not, they visit the doctor who may prescribe an antibiotic which typically takes about 3 days for effective levels in the body to be reached (apart from IV antibiotics). By the end of the approximate 6 days period most infections will be resolving on their own.
Re: Antibiotic overuse/abuse
That's my strategy.littlebird wrote:typically the patient will wait 3 days to see if the problem clears up on its own.
My concern for this problem made me start recording antibiotic name, dosage and duration of use a few years ago. When seeing a doc for what might be an infection I tell the doc about the list as part of explaining what my problem is. The doc always has wanted to see the list. Have no idea if it helps, but can't imagine it hurts.
Re: Antibiotic overuse/abuse
Well I been using the same doctor for 6 years now and I have to have a routine blood test and check up ever month.
On the occasions where I have experienced a fever or recently a sore throat I have left it a couple of days or so and 9 times out of 10 it goes. However if it doesn't go or returns then I go to my doctor and he checks my details on their database. My doctor usually scans through my manual records but on the occasion I have had to see a different doctor he goes on line and checks previous drug records and checks there success or failure. Seem thorough enough to me but what ever I am perscibed I go on line and Google it
On the occasions where I have experienced a fever or recently a sore throat I have left it a couple of days or so and 9 times out of 10 it goes. However if it doesn't go or returns then I go to my doctor and he checks my details on their database. My doctor usually scans through my manual records but on the occasion I have had to see a different doctor he goes on line and checks previous drug records and checks there success or failure. Seem thorough enough to me but what ever I am perscibed I go on line and Google it
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
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migrant
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Re: Antibiotic overuse/abuse
Last year I came down with the MRSA strain of a staph infection.The doctor had me hooked up to some real strong antibiotics as well as cutting open the infections and scraping them.
He said cutting, and scraping, was needed because the antibiotics are less effective. When I asked why he said that so many people take antibiotics for simple things that infections are developing immunity to them.
He said cutting, and scraping, was needed because the antibiotics are less effective. When I asked why he said that so many people take antibiotics for simple things that infections are developing immunity to them.
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.
Re: Antibiotic overuse/abuse
It's the old "A pill for every ill" practice and the psychology behind it. The average Thai doesn't want to hear "Just get some rest and it'll clear up, tough it out", yeah......right.
Secondly, the "clinics" that so many pills of all descriptions are handed out from are mostly a side show profit making cash cow for the doctor who has opened it for extra evening business after they finish at the hospital they work at. It's in their interests to keep selling pills.
Thirdly, many people don't finish the course of pills they are given and just discard them when they deem it OK, which has the obvious compounding effects.
The golden days of antibiotics is slowly coming to the end.There are still a couple of very effective ones around like vancomycin but their use is now controlled much more tightly than before.
I suppose the next big explosion in profit making drugs for the pharma companies will be the antibiotics' replacement, perhaps with the aid of the genetics research, but it's fairly slow work.
As mentioned above, we now seem to be buying time with cocktails of different antibiotics but that's not going to suffice forever. Super nasty bug/bacteria and viruses are springing up all over the show, including in hospitals.
We'll see what happens, but the MO of this 'willy-nilly' prescription of antibiotics for minor ailments will not do no favours for any.
However, planning for the future has sadly never stuck me as a priority for/strength of the dwellers of these Southeast Asia cultures.
In the long run the present MO just won't fly, as the drugs that will replace the current antibiotics will obviously cost a fortune until they can be convincingly copied and distributed after all the patent stuff/court cases for infringement etc have run their course.
Apologies if this post sounds too gloomy.
Secondly, the "clinics" that so many pills of all descriptions are handed out from are mostly a side show profit making cash cow for the doctor who has opened it for extra evening business after they finish at the hospital they work at. It's in their interests to keep selling pills.
Thirdly, many people don't finish the course of pills they are given and just discard them when they deem it OK, which has the obvious compounding effects.
The golden days of antibiotics is slowly coming to the end.There are still a couple of very effective ones around like vancomycin but their use is now controlled much more tightly than before.
I suppose the next big explosion in profit making drugs for the pharma companies will be the antibiotics' replacement, perhaps with the aid of the genetics research, but it's fairly slow work.
As mentioned above, we now seem to be buying time with cocktails of different antibiotics but that's not going to suffice forever. Super nasty bug/bacteria and viruses are springing up all over the show, including in hospitals.
We'll see what happens, but the MO of this 'willy-nilly' prescription of antibiotics for minor ailments will not do no favours for any.
However, planning for the future has sadly never stuck me as a priority for/strength of the dwellers of these Southeast Asia cultures.
In the long run the present MO just won't fly, as the drugs that will replace the current antibiotics will obviously cost a fortune until they can be convincingly copied and distributed after all the patent stuff/court cases for infringement etc have run their course.
Apologies if this post sounds too gloomy.
Resolve dissolves in alcohol
Re: Antibiotic overuse/abuse
Many of the symptoms are viral in which antibiotics dont help. If prescribed, they add to the resistance.
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littlebird
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Re: Antibiotic overuse/abuse
Many years ago I had an old Irish doctor who used to tell his patients in many cases to go home, sleep, drink water and eat plain yoghurt, he explained this practice by saying that the problem usually clears up on its own after a few days and the diet of water and yoghurt is good for you anyway.
Plain yoghurt for throat infections and smearing on minor skin problems does work and for the ladies - vaginal thrush is quickly sorted out by frequent application of plain yoghurt to the problem area (hmmm I can see some comments coming in on this!)
Plain yoghurt for throat infections and smearing on minor skin problems does work and for the ladies - vaginal thrush is quickly sorted out by frequent application of plain yoghurt to the problem area (hmmm I can see some comments coming in on this!)