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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUp to half of some types of antibiotics 'fail due to superbugs' study finds
By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
GPs are increasingly handing out antibiotics that turn out to be useless, as up to half of courses of the drugs 'fail' and result in further treatment, a study has found.
Groundbreaking research has analysed 11m courses of antibiotics prescribed to British patients over the last 22 years covering the most common diseases areas including tonsilitis, pneumonia and ear infections.
Scientists said the findings were 'bleak' with one in six courses of antibiotics failing in 2012 but for some drugs this was more than one in two.
Experts and governments have warned that antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to modern health care yet prescriptions of the drugs by family doctors continues to increase.
GPs have admitted prescribing antibiotics to 'get rid of' patients.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11120831/Up-to-half-of-antibiotics-fail-due-to-superbugs-study-finds.html
moriah
(8,311 posts)... amoxicillin and clavamox both stopped working on my infections (mostly ear infections, with fever indicating an active infection, so antibiotics were appropriate when prescribed) when I was about 10. They next tried erythromycin as the "go-to", but I developed huge hives from it, so my doctors won't risk trying anything related to it like Zithromax. Cephlasporins sometimes work, but quinolones always are what they end up using when I'm down with pneumonia (after a failed course of one of the others, generally).
The last time I had pneumonia it was after a terrible case of the flu. There had been no antibiotics written since the flu test was positive, but I was still running a very high fever a week later. I'd developed a secondary bacterial infection, and was hospitalized for two nights while they pumped me full of IV antibiotics and steroids, and was on oral antibiotics for a month after because they wanted to make sure they killed whatever was growing that fast and that severe off for good.
I try to do all the right things -- FINISH the script, even if I'm feeling better,... etc..... but I can't tell if it's that bugs in general are getting worse, or if my own particular system is resistant as well.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)With incorrect use, noncompliance and smart bacteria, it's only a matter of time until all of our antibiotics are ineffective. This problem hasn't really been in the spotlight until recently, which is usually what happens....not taken seriously until there's a crisis.