National Pharmacy Week - highlighting use, abuse of antibiotics

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Antibiotics are arguably one of the most important drugs available. With so many infections around, their job is to help you fight them. So it's critical that antibiotics work when you need them. But it's also important that they're used correctly.

Pharmacy Week is a collaborative activity between the national Department of Health, Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS), South African Pharmacy Council and Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa.

"Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections - not viral illnesses," explains Clicks Pharmacist, Waheed Abdurahman. "This means that they're no good for treating common colds and flu which are caused by rhinovirus, influenza and other viruses. Therefore, if you have a stuffy nose, a cough and a sore throat, antibiotics are definitely not the right treatment option. The best way to treat viral illnesses is to speak to your doctor about relieving the symptoms until your body is able to fight the virus and get well again."

Overused and incorrectly prescribed, antibiotics may cause antibiotic resistance. When a sick person does not finish their full course of antibiotics, the drug only wipes out some, but not all, of the bacteria. The surviving bacteria become stronger and more resistant to the antibiotic, so it becomes less effective. These mutated bacteria can also spread to other people, meaning they also cannot be treated with that antibiotic. Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR) is a major example of how a disease that has become resistant and is now much more difficult to treat than ordinary TB. MDR has happened because some TB patients, who need a very long antibiotic treatment, did not finish the course and the TB virus mutated as a result.

Antibiotic tips

Here is how to ensure that antibiotics stay strong enough to fight infections:

• Understand when antibiotics should be used and do not expect to take them every time you are sick.
  
• Do not pressure your doctor to prescribe them - rather get him to explain how you can relieve your symptoms.
  
• Take antibiotics only when prescribed by your doctor.
  
• Take your antibiotics exactly as your healthcare professional has told you to. Do not skip any doses. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist for advice.
  
• Finish your treatment, even if you start feeling better - no matter how long the treatment goes on.
  
• Never share antibiotics or take leftover antibiotics.
  
• Try hard to prevent the spread of infections. Wash your hands regularly, with soap, especially after going to the toilet, handling a nappy or working with raw meat, poultry or fish. Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing.
  
• Get the recommended vaccinations, such as your annual flu jab, at clinics and make sure your children get their correct vaccinations too. This way your body has a full suit of armour to protect it from bug invasions.