Fatal Consequences of Incorrect Antibiotic Intake: Medical Professionals Warn

Currently, it's peak season in Austria's doctor's offices. Many people are suffering from flu-like infections, but also from the "real" flu (influenza) or Corona. With symptoms such as sore throat, fever, chills or body aches, many consider the prescription of an antibiotic as a guarantee for rapid improvement. But this is often a misconception.

A Third of Austrians Believe in Antibiotics' Effectiveness Against Viruses

"Flu-like symptoms are usually caused by viruses against which antibiotics are ineffective," says Vienna general practitioner Dr. Anna-Christina Bernd. Patients' knowledge about these medications is expandable. According to the Risk Barometer 2023 of AGES, in a representative survey, more than one third of respondents (35 percent) stated that antibiotics work against viruses. This is definitely wrong and a possible explanation for why both Bernd and Univ.Doz. Dr. Alexander Kober find in their medical practice that patients insist on a prescription even for viral infections. The general and intensive care physician emphasizes: "Antibiotics are generally prescribed too often in Austria. This naturally promotes resistances."

Complications Due to Antibiotic Resistances

Resistance means that bacterial strains get used to antibiotics and learn to evade their effect. "This happens, for example, when they are used too often or improperly, or when they are incorrectly dosed," says Bernd. In this context, Kober makes an urgent appeal to patients: "Please never stop taking antibiotics earlier than prescribed by the doctor. Premature termination of therapy greatly increases the risk of resistance."

Antibiotic resistance not only means that these drugs no longer work against certain bacteria, but can also lead to serious complications. For example, an untreated symptomatic urinary tract infection can lead to a kidney infection or, in the worst case, even to sepsis (blood poisoning). According to the AGES risk barometer, the development of resistant bacteria is the main concern of people when taking antibiotics, as stated by two-thirds of the respondents.

Even though resistances in the primary care sector can usually be well circumvented by so-called "reserve antibiotics", it is a very serious problem. This is particularly evident in the field of intensive care medicine: here, there is almost always a risk to life. "Patients in intensive care units are seriously ill and require rapid and effective therapy. If a multi-resistant germ infects such a patient, this can lead to death very quickly in the context of sepsis," says Kober. Accordingly, two out of three respondents rate infection with antibiotic-resistant germs in hospitals as the greatest risk associated with antibiotic resistance.

Accurate Diagnosis Essential for Therapy

So what can patients do to contain the problem as much as possible? "First of all, handle antibiotics carefully and take them as long as the doctor prescribes. Furthermore, one should by no means actively demand the prescription of an antibiotic, especially not if it is not certain that bacteria are the cause of the disease. Rather, one should actively describe the development of the symptoms to support doctors in assessing the clinical picture," explains DocFinder CEO Gerald Timmel.

Doctors, on the other hand, have rapid tests available with which they can determine whether the infection is due to viruses or bacteria. Whether taking an antibiotic makes sense, doctors must of course always check on a case-by-case basis, but in general both physicians advocate for a moderate use, even when bacteria are the cause.

(Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.