Experts now say that continuing to finish the prescribed course of antibiotics after you feel well can increase the risk of antibiotic resistance, which is a global problem.
In the past, patients were always told to take the full dose of antibiotics even when they got better.
This advice is in stark contrast to the WHO World Health Organization's guidelines for the use of antibiotics. Accordingly, patients are recommended to take the full dose of antibiotics even if they start to feel better again.
Doctors have told patients for years that not taking the entire dose of antibiotics is extremely "irresponsible" because it increases the risk of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, before this latest report, they urge the community to be very cautious. Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, President of Royal College of GPs, said patients should not change their behavior "if based on just one study".
In fact, this report was compiled from the opinions of 10 experts in the field of infectious diseases from Oxford University and Brighton and Sussex School of Medicine. Experts analyze the results of countless reliable antibiotic studies. They found that shorter doses of antibiotics, namely half the normal dose, had no effect on whether the patient recovered, became infected again, or died. Some antibiotics are best used for longer periods, such as to treat tuberculosis. However, others, such as pneumonia, are only effective when used for shorter periods of time.
Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard.
According to experts, the current advice on taking enough doses of antibiotics actually has no scientific evidence. Instead, there is clear evidence that stopping antibiotics earlier is a safe and effective way to reduce drug abuse.
Professor Martin Liewelyn, head of the expert team who made the report, said: "Historically, antibiotic doses have been set up in advance, driven by the fear of not being fully treated without regard. proper attention to the potential for substance abuse ... Taking enough doses of antibiotics goes against one of the most basic, widely circulated beliefs that people have ever had, that they should use. As few drugs as possible.
Antibiotic resistance is currently a global health crisis, with overuse of antibiotics being the main driver because bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, antibiotics are being used more and more often, resulting in super-emergence. bacteria.
Sharing in the journal BMJ, Professor Llewelyn and his colleagues expressed: "The false belief that taking enough antibiotics will help minimize the risk of drug resistance could be a major barrier in the journey to reduce the situation. Use of antibiotics is not necessary Patients may react differently to the same antibiotics At present, most of us are ignoring this fact and instead making recommendations regarding time. use medicine based on poor scientific evidence ".
Today, according to experts, the current advice on taking enough doses of antibiotics actually has no scientific evidence.
In hospitals, patients are usually treated with antibiotics until tests show they have fully recovered from the infection. "In addition to the hospital, where repeated, repeated tests may not be possible, patients are probably best advised to stop treatment when they feel better. And This is in direct contrast to advice from the WHO. Communities should be encouraged to recognize that antibiotics are a limited and valuable natural resource that needs to be conserved. "
The authors report that more testing is needed to determine which corrective advice should be given to patients on antibiotic dosages. But Professor Stokes-Lampard emphasized: "The recommended dose of antibiotics is not random. They are adjusted to suit the individual's disease and in many cases, the dose is relatively short. We are concerned about advising patients to stop taking their medication mid-way when ‘they feel better’. Because the improvement of symptoms does not necessarily mean that the infection has been completely eliminated".
