What mistakes should you avoid when taking antibiotics

Antibiotics kill bacteria and prevent their multiplication. But you can only work if they are taken correctly. Pharmacists Marcel Becker explains what to consider when taking to and what mistakes should be avoided.

Help antibiotics for bladder, lung and gastric mucosa inflammation, effective against Salmonella, or streptococci. However, antibiotics are too frequently in use or are being used by patients incorrectly, the danger is to breed resistance. The bacteria are resistant to the active ingredient. Therefore, antibiotics should be used with Care, because the drug can fight the bacteria only when the Patient is following the rules of the recommended Intake.

Antibiotics are always at the same time

Important especially the temporal regularity of the intake. A treatment is recommended once a day, it should be taken every day preferably at the same time. The only way to a permanently consistent and, above all, sufficient amount of the active ingredient in the body can be guaranteed.

At the recommended two times a day, a distance of 12 hours to ensure; in the case of a three-time taking, it is advisable – if only for computational reasons – an eight-hour distance. Anyone who has problems, to think in our hectic everyday lives to take it, should resort to means other than A memory slip, the alarm function of the smartphone – are allowed all the means to enable time correct taking on the part of the patient.

In addition to the “when” is also the “How”. How the taking has to be done, is always listed in the package insert. Admittedly, this is printed in the case of antibiotics is quite long and narrow, but stands out mostly is a table from the font image, the information about whether the medication before meals should be administered or afterwards.

To The Person

Marcel Becker is the managing Director of the Apovid GmbH. The trained pharmacist is also co-owner of the Munich-based Dr. Beckers Central Apotheke, as well as founder and partner of the Vita-point GmbH.

Milk products inhibit the absorption of active substances

Best taking is always carried out with plenty of water – a glass, not a SIP. The liquid accelerates the dissolution and absorption of the active ingredient. However, there are sources of error that should be avoided at all costs. Coffee, black tea, alcohol or milk, are not suitable to swallow antibiotics. On the contrary, calcium-containing beverages such as milk or yoghurt drinks or caffeinated drinks, the active ingredient intake inhibit. This also applies when taking with mineral drinks that contain calcium, Magnesium or zinc.

Also when eating you should make sure that milk should not be taken with foods such as Butter, yogurt, cream, cheese, and Co together with antibiotics. A minimum of two hours before and after taking the antibiotic you should take, even when the cravings for a cheese sandwich, a proverbial distance.

Overall, the treatment time has shortened with antibiotics over the last few years, however, strong, so that the revenue rules need only be observed a few days. Earlier in the case of lung two to three weeks of antibiotics, the inflammation usually were administered, today, there are usually only five to seven days. In the case of cystitis, a single dose is sufficient, depending on the antibiotic.

Antibiotics taken for improvement until the very end

A further source of error lies in the quick time of action of the antibiotic. Usually after 48 hours of the first dose, a significant improvement occurs – however, this is not a reason to discontinue them. Antibiotics must be consistently up to the end taken, as an improvement of the condition means that the bacteria to be combated, the green light but can only be given if the prescribed dosage is reached. This is important to prevent the only to have a relapse, but also to resistance.

Tablets still remain left over, you may dispose of the Blister pack in household garbage or by delivering them to a pharmacy. In any case, antibiotic medications may be over the toilet or the sink disposed of. So antibiotics get into the drinking water.

Interactions attention

Another focus of attention should be put before all women on the simultaneous intake of antibiotics and oral contraceptives. Antibiotics can reduce the contraceptive effect of the pill, because they affect the intestinal flora and thus the absorption of the hormone.

A further interaction while you are taking macrolide antibiotics, used in respiratory diseases, or STDs, such as gonorrhea or chlamydia. Erythromycin, often in Streptokkoken prescribed – does not work well with Cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins and promotes side effects such as muscle pain. Also diabetics need to be careful because some antibiotics can trigger sugar fluctuations.

Important the consultation is, in the case of each therapy with antibiotics. The recommendation for therapy must be made individually and depends on the nature of the disease, its Severity, its course and the respective Bakterientyp. Only then we will decide which antibiotic needs to be long and in what dose. The doctor and pharmacist can also advise you in taking, and possible interactions of the drug.