| An antibiotic is a drug that kills or
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| | closely related to the
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| slows the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics
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| | penicillins.Cephalosporins have a
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| are one class of antimicrobials, a larger
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| | bacteriocidal effect by inhibiting the
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| group which also includes anti-viral,
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| | synthesis of the bacteria cell wall.The
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| anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic drugs.
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| | most commonly-prescribed cephalosporins:
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| Antibiotics are chemicals produced by or
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| derived from microorganisms (i.e. bugs or
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| germs such as bacteria and fungi). The
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| | First generation
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| first antibiotic was discovered by
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| Alexander Fleming in 1928 in a
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| | cephazolin
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| significant breakthrough for medical
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| | cefadroxil
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| science.Antibiotics are among the most
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| | cephalexin
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| frequently prescribed medications in
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| | cephradine
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| modern medicine.
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| Some antibiotics are 'bactericidal',
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| | Second generation
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| meaning that they work by killing
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| bacteria. Other antibiotics are
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| | cefaclor
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| 'bacteriostatic', meaning that they work
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| | cefuroxime
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| by stopping bacteria multiplying.Each
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| | cefprozil
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| different type of antibiotic affects
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| | loracarbef
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| different bacteria in different ways. For
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| example, an antibiotic might inhibit a
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| | Third generation
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| bacterium's ability to turn glucose into
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| energy, or its ability to construct its
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| | cefotaxime
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| cell wall. When this happens, the
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| | cefixime
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| bacterium dies instead of
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| | cefpodoxime
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| reproducing.Some antibiotics can be used
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| | ceftazidime
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| to treat a wide range of infections and
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| | cefdinir
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| are known as 'broad-spectrum'
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| antibiotics. Others are only effective
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| | Fourth generation
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| against a few types of bacteria and are
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| called 'narrow-spectrum' antibiotics.Side
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| | cefepime
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| effects of antibioticsAntibiotics can
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| | cefpirome
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| literally save lives and are effective in
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| treating illnesses caused by bacterial
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| | FluoroquinolonesFluoroquinolones are
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| infections. However, like all drugs, they
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| | known as broad-spectrum antibiotics,
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| have the potential to cause unwanted side
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| | meaning they are effective against many
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| effects. Many of these side effects are
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| | bacteria. Fluoroquinolones are used to
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| not dangerous, although they can make
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| | treat most common urinary tract
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| life miserable while the drug is being
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| | infections, skin infections, and
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| taken.In general, antibiotics rarely
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| | respiratory infections (such as
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| cause serious side effects. The most
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| | sinusitis, pneumonia, bronchitis). Common
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| common side effects from antibiotics are
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| | side effects of fluoroquinolones include
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| diarrhea, nausea, vomiting. Fungal
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| | mainly the digestive system: mild stomach
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| infections of the mouth, digestive tract
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| | pain or upset, nausea, vomiting, and
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| and vagina can also occur with
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| | diarrhea. These are usually mild and go
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| antibiotics because they destroy the
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| | away over time. Fluoroquinolones should
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| protective 'good' bacteria in the body
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| | not be given during
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| (which help prevent overgrowth of any one
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| | pregnancy.Fluoroquinolones inhibit
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| organism), as well as the 'bad' ones,
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| | bacteria by interfering with their
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| responsible for the infection being
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| | ability to make DNA. This activity makes
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| treated.Some people are allergic to
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| | it difficult for bacteria to multiply.
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| antibiotics, particularly penicillins.
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| | This effect is bacteriocidal.The most
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| Allergic reactions cause swelling of the
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| | commonly-prescribed fluoroquinolones:
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| face, itching and a skin rash and, in
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| severe cases, breathing difficulties.
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| | ciprofloxacin
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| Allergic reactions require prompt
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| | gatifloxacin
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| treatment.Types of antibioticsThere are
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| | gemifloxacin
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| many different kinds of antibiotics. The
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| | levofloxacin
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| type of antibiotics you take depends on
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| | moxifloxacin
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| the type of infection you have and what
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| | norfloxacin
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| kind of antibiotics are known to be
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| | ofloxacin
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| effective.The main classes of
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| | trovafloxacin
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| antibiotics:
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| | PenicillinsPenicillin was the first
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| | antibiotic discovered by Alexander
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| Aminoglycosides
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| | Fleming in 1929. Penicillins are used to
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| Cephalosporins
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| | treat skin infections, dental infections,
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| Fluoroquinolones
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| | ear infections, respiratory tract
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| Macrolides
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| | infections, urinary tract infections,
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| Penicillins
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| | gonorrhea. Penicillins are sometimes
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| Tetracyclines
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| | combined with other ingredients called
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| MacrolidesThere are a couple of new
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| | beta-lactamase inhibitors, which protect
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| relatives of erythromycin (azithromycin
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| | the penicillin from bacterial enzymes
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| and clarithromycin) that work the same
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| | that may destroy it before it can do its
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| way, but kill more bugs and have slightly
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| | work.Penicillins are usually very safe.
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| fewer side effects. The erythromycin-like
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| | The greatest risk is an allergic
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| antibiotics are also known as macrolides.
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| | reaction, which can be severe. People who
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| Macrolides belong to the polyketide class
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| | have been allergic to cephalosporins are
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| of natural products. Macrolide
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| | likely to be allergic to
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| antibiotics are used to treat respiratory
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| | penicillins.Penicillins block the
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| tract infections, genital,
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| | construction of bacteria cell walls,
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| gastrointestinal tract, soft tissue
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| | causing the walls to break down, and
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| infections caused by susceptible strains
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| | eventually killing the bacteria.The most
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| of specific bacteria.Macrolides bind with
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| | commonly-prescribed penicillins:
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| ribosomes from susceptible bacteria to
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| prevent protein production. This action
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| | amoxicillin
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| is mainly bacteriostatic, but can also be
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| | ampicillin
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| bactericidal in high
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| | bacampicillin
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| concentrations.Macrolides cause very
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| | oxacillin
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| little allergy problems compared to the
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| | penicillin
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| penicillins and cephalosporins, the
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| | Tetracyclines Tetracyclines are a family
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| biggest concern with these medicines is
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| | of antibiotics used to treat a broad
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| that they can irritate the stomach.The
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| | spectrum of bacterial infections.
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| most commonly-prescribed macrolides:
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| | Tetracyclines were discovered in the late
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| | 1940s and were extremely popular when
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| erythromycin
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| | they were first discovered. The
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| clarithromycin
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| | tetracycline antibiotics have a very
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| azithromycin
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| | broad spectrum of action.Tetracyclines
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| roxithromycin
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| | are used to treat mild acne, Rocky
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| Aminoglycosides Aminoglycoside
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| | Mountain spotted fever, Lyme Disease,
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| antibiotics are used to treat infections
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| | upper respiratory tract infections,
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| caused by gram-negative bacteria.
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| | urinary tract infections, sexually
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| Aminoglycosides may be used along with
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| | transmitted diseases, typhus.The most
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| penicillins or cephalosporins to give a
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| | commonly-prescribed tetracyclines:
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| two-pronged attack on the bacteria.
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| Aminoglycosides work quite well, but
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| | tetracycline
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| bacteria can become resistant to them.
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| | doxycycline
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| Since aminoglycosides are broken down
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| | minocycline
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| easily in the stomach, they can't be
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| | Antibiotic resistanceAntibiotics are
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| given by mouth and must be injected. When
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| | extremely important in medicine, but
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| injected, their side effects include
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| | unfortunately bacteria are capable of
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| possible damage to the ears and to the
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| | developing resistance to them.
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| kidneys. This can be minimized by
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| | Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are germs
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| checking the amount of the drug in the
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| | that are not killed by commonly used
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| blood and adjusting the dose so that
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| | antibiotics. When bacteria are exposed to
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| there is enough drug to kill bacteria but
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| | the same antibiotics over and over, the
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| not too much of it. Generally,
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| | bacteria can change and are no longer
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| aminoglycosides are given for short time
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| | affected by the drug.Bacteria have number
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| periods.The aminoglycosides are drugs
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| | of ways how they become
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| which stop bacteria from making proteins.
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| | antibiotic-resistant. For example, they
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| This effect is bactericidal.The most
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| | possess an internal mechanism of changing
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| commonly-prescribed aminoglycosides:
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| | their structure so the antibiotic no
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|
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| | longer works, they develop ways to
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| amikacin
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| | inactivate or neutralize the antibiotic.
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| gentamicin
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| | Also bacteria can transfer the genes
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| kanamycin
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| | coding for antibiotic resistance between
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| neomycin
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| | them, making it possible for bacteria
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| streptomycin
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| | never exposed to an antibiotic to acquire
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| tobramycin
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| | resistance from those which have. The
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| CephalosporinsCephalosporins are grouped
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| | problem of antibiotic resistance is
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| into "generations" by their antimicrobial
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| | worsened when antibiotics are used to
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| properties. Cephalosporins are
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| | treat disorders in which they have no
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| categorized chronically, and are
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| | efficacy (e.g. antibiotics are not
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| therefore divided into first, second, and
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| | effective against infections caused by
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| third generations. Currently, three
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| | viruses), and when they are used widely
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| generations of cephalosporins are
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| | as prophylaxis rather than
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| recognized and a fourth has been
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| | treatment.Resistance to antibiotics poses
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| proposed. Each newer generation of
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| | a serious and growing problem, because
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| cephalosporins has greater gram negative
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| | some infectious diseases are becoming
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| antimicrobial properties than the
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| | more difficult to treat. Resistant
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| preceding generation. The
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| | bacteria do not respond to the
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| later-generation cephalosporins have
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| | antibiotics and continue to cause
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| greater effect against resistant
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| | infection. Some of these resistant
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| bacteria.Cephalosporins are used to treat
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| | bacteria can be treated with more
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| pneumonia, strep throat, staph
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| | powerful medicines, but there some
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| infections, tonsillitis, bronchitis,
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| | infections that are difficult to cure
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| otitis media, various types of skin
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| | even with new or experimental drugs.Yury
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| infections, gonorrhea. Cephalosporin
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| | Bayarski is the author of - a
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| antibiotics are also commonly used for
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| | prescription drug price comparison
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| surgical prophylaxis. Cephalosporins are
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| | website.
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