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Sharing Medications
By Tina Hasty, Director of Inpatient PharmacyA question frequently posed to pharmacists is, "My friend had the same cold symptoms I do, and has antibiotic left over. Can I take it instead of going to the doctor?" Here are the top 5 reasons the answer is always, "no".
#5 Food/Drug Interactions
There may be dietary precautions of which you are not aware. Some antibiotics work better when taken on an empty stomach, while others would cause gastrointestinal side effects when taken without food.
#4 Drug/Drug Interactions
There may be a dangerous interaction with your other medications. For example, taking the anticoagulant warfarin (medications that prevent blood clotting) with some antibiotics can increase your chances of bleeding.
#3 Allergic Reactions
If you have an allergy to one medication, you may also be allergic to a related medication. This is known as cross- sensitivity. For example, if you are allergic to penicillin, you may also be allergic to cephalexin. Even though the medication names look nothing alike, their chemical make-up is similar, and they often exhibit cross-sensitivity.
#2 You Won't Have Enough
Antibiotics are typically written for a set number of treatment days. If you have a 10 day regimen, but stop taking them after 3 days because your symptoms are gone, some of the bacteria will be killed, but the stronger ones will survive and multiply causing a resistant infection. By developing resistance, bacteria become more difficult to treat, requiring higher doses, longer treatments, or even hospitalization. Antibiotic resistance has become a prevalent worldwide health problem.
#1 You Might Not Even Need An Antibiotic
It is difficult to distinguish between a viral infection (which does not respond to antibiotics) and a bacterial infection (which may require antibiotics). Viral infections are responsible for 90% of sore throats and are not even affected by antibiotics. The use of unnecessary antibiotics also leads to the development of resistance.
Choosing the correct type and duration of treatment requires consideration of each individual's current illnesses (acute and chronic), medication profile, and allergy history. Your health care professionals can help you decide if you need antibiotic therapy and help make the right choice for you.
