Antibiotics
Antibiotics
Introduction
Antibiotics refer to substances that destroy or suppress the multiplication of bacteria. They form an essential component of health care since they facilitate for treatment of patients suffering from different kinds of complications. Antibiotics are tremendously invaluable in health care since they form the basis of most prescriptions. It is pertinent to note that there are different classes of antibiotics. Each antibiotic class has a unique mechanism for action. Although antibiotics are integral components of health care, they also have numerous kinds of side effects. Some side effects are negligible while others have far reaching implications on the health condition of patients. This paper focuses on the main classes of antibiotics while examining the mechanism of action in each. Additionally, the paper also comprises of examples of drugs in each class of antibiotics.
CLASSES OF ANTIBIOTICS
Penicillins
The oldest category of antibiotics comprises of antibiotics. These antibiotics are extremely essential during the treatment of numerous types of infections. In addition to dental infections, this class of antibiotics is also valuable in alleviating skin infections. The mechanism of action for penicillin encompasses the inhibition of bacterial multiplication. Additionally, this class of antibiotics is bactericidal. In essence, penicillin occurs in two main categories including the natural and synthetic penicillins (Karp, 2009). Amoxillin is one of the most notable examples of drugs antibiotics under this category. The main side effect of this drug is stomachache.
Fluoroquinolones
Compared to other classes of antibiotics, this class is relatively new. It comprises of synthetic antibiotics which are mainly employed in alleviating urinary tract complications. The mechanism of action for fluoroquinolones is bactericidal. This is because the drugs have an inherent capacity to curtail the reproduction of bacteria (Mayers & Lerner, 2009). In contrast to other classes of antibiotics, fluoroquinolones have minimal side effects. One of the most notable examples of a drug in this class is ofloxacin. In addition to headaches, this drug might also cause nausea.
Cephalosporins
This serves as another outstanding class of antibiotics. In terms of mechanism of action, cephalosporins are bactericidal. They have numerous similarities with penicillins but differ in terms of structure. These antibiotics have the capacity to repel the functioning of bacteria and thus prevent the incidence of disease. The beta-lactam structure is a common attribute in cephalosporin and penicillin. These drugs come in handy during the treatment of respiratory tract complications (Hauser, 2012). It is vital to note that there are 4 main generations of cephalosporins. Each generation comprises of different drugs. Among the most notable examples of cephalosporins is cefixime. This antibiotic causes diarrhea.
Aminoglycosides
This class of antibiotics comprises of medications that target the treatment of infections that are associated with gram negative bacteria. As with other antibiotics, this drug has an inherent capacity to suppress the growth and multiplication of bacteria in the body (Karp, 2009). This mechanism of action is extremely pertinent with regard to the prevention of dangerous infections caused by bacteria. These antibiotics have the capacity to undermine the ability of bacteria to produce proteins. Neomycin is one of the most notable examples of drugs in this category. However, its mechanism of action in the body system can lead to the deterioration of an individual’s ability to hear properly.
Macrolides
This serves as another class of antibiotics. Macrolides suppress the synthesis of bacteria within the body system. Although this category of drugs can treat skin ailments, it mainly serves the purpose of alleviating complications of the respiratory tract within the body system. Erythromycin is among the most notable examples of macrolides. In terms of side effects, this drug might cause nausea in addition to different kinds of stomach complications (Mayers & Lerner, 2009).
Tetracycline
This is a unique category of antibiotics with a four-ringed chemical structure. The mechanism of action comprises of the suppression of protein synthesis in bacteria. These drugs are effective in the treatment of intestinal infections as well as respiratory complications. Minocycline is a notable example of tetracycline antibiotics (Karp, 2009). One of the most critical side effects of minocycline pertains to the photosensitivity of the skin. This is a skin complication that makes it is difficult for an individual to endure exposure to high energy radiation (Mayers & Lerner, 2009). For young children, these kinds of antibiotics are extremely dangerous. In terms of side effects, tetracycline undermines the process of bone development.
SELECTING EFFECTIVE ANTIBIOTICS
Patient (a)
Although penicillin is an effective antibiotic for treating bacterial pneumonia, the patient is suffering from penicillin allergy. Consequently, this excludes the use of penicillin in treating him. The most effectual option in this condition is the use of cephalosporin antibiotics. In this case, cefepime will come in handy for the treatment of the student.
Patient (b)
There are numerous antibiotics that form the basis of treating urinary tract infections. However, the patient in this case is significantly old. This is an essential factor of consideration while deciding on the most effective antibiotic. Penicillin will come in handy because it has minimal side effects on elderly patients.
Patient (c)
It is a sensitive process to select antibiotics for a patient suffering from TB and HIV. The side effects of some antibiotics might undermine the ability of the patient to recover from these ailments. Consequently, it is essential to select and antibiotic that has minimal side effects. This justifies the selection of aminoglycosides. This antibiotic is effective in alleviating the symptoms for both health complications. Additionally, aminoglycosides have an inherent capacity to boost the patient’s immune system.
Patient (d)
During the treatment of diabetes, synthetic antibiotics are the most effective drugs. This is because they do not cause an imbalance of sugar levels in the patient’s bloodstream. In line with these considerations, tetracycline will come in handy. This antibiotic is highly effective in preventing the deterioration of blood sugar levels.
Article Summary
This article encompasses an evaluation of the treatment framework for acute upper respiratory tract infections. These infections are predominant in children and adults. The diagnostic framework has the capacity to streamline or derail the outcome of the treatment framework. In essence, early diagnosis helps in enhancing the quality of treatment for acute respiratory tract infections. In contrast, late diagnosis derails the outcome of the treatment framework. In the article, the authors provide numerous recommendations about handling this health complication.
Firstly, the authors emphasize on the importance of observations while analyzing a patient for potential URI. This most applies to children suffering from otitis media (Wong & Lowe, 2006). The second recommendation pertains to the use of antibiotics while treating sinus infections among patients with URI. In essence, antibiotics serve the role of suppressing the multiplication of bacteria within the patient’s body system. This is extremely helpful in terms of averting potential complications of the patient’s health condition.
The authors also provide stern warnings about the use of antibiotics in the treatment of acute bronchitis. In essence, this treatment framework can strongly undermine the quality of patient outcome. Another pertinent issue evident in the article involves resistance for antibiotics. When an individual uses antibiotics continuously, it increases the chances of resistance. The bacteria within the patient’s body system adapt to the antibiotics (Wong & Lowe, 2006). This renders the use of antibiotics as an exercise in futility. The authors also provide an analysis of the most appropriate time for treating pharyngitis using antibiotics. This is extremely sensitive to children because of the susceptibility of their immune system. According to the authors, it is extremely pertinent to use alternative therapy while dealing with such patients. This helps in averting the different side effects of antibiotics within the patient’s body system.
Article Critique
This article provides a fantastic framework for evaluating the use of antibiotics while treating different types of health conditions. Despite such benefits, it is vital to note that numerous shortcomings are also evident in the article. The first outstanding positive attribute of the article pertains to the assessment of the possible alternatives for children who are suffering from respiratory complications. Such children are sensitive to some antibiotics. The different side effects of some antibiotics might undermine the capacity of the children to recover (Wong & Lowe, 2006).
The article is also beneficial in terms of assessing the different alternatives for using antibiotics in the treatment of acute bronchitis. This mostly applies to adults in that they can easily develop resistance for antibiotics. In terms of the shortcomings of the article, it does not examine the beneficial implications of the different categories of antibiotics. For instance, penicillin is effective in treating some illnesses but ineffectual in other instances. Additionally, the authors have not analyzed the possible areas of future research in the use of antibiotics.
Conclusion
The paper comprises of an assessment of the different classes of antibiotics. Whereas some are natural, others are synthetic. Penicillins are extremely essential during the treatment of numerous types of infections. In addition to dental infections, this class of antibiotics is also helpful in the alleviation of skin infections. The mechanism of action for penicillin encompasses the inhibition of bacterial multiplication. The mechanism of action for fluoroquinolones is bactericidal. This is because the drugs have an inherent capacity to curtail the reproduction of bacteria. In contrast to other classes of antibiotics, fluoroquinolones have minimal side effects.
Cephalosporins have numerous similarities with penicillins but differ in terms of structure. These antibiotics have the capacity to repel the functioning of bacteria and thus prevent the incidence of disease. The beta-lactam structure is a common attribute in cephalosporin and penicillin. As with other antibiotics, aminoglycoside has an inherent capacity to suppress the growth and multiplication of bacteria in the body. This mechanism of action is extremely pertinent with regard to the prevention of dangerous infections caused by bacteria. Macrolides suppress the synthesis of bacteria within the body system. Although this category of drugs can treat skin ailments, it mainly serves the purpose of alleviating complications of the respiratory tract within the body system. The mechanism of action for tetracycline comprises of the suppression of protein synthesis in bacteria. These drugs are effective in the treatment of intestinal infections as well as respiratory complications.
References
Hauser, A. (2012). Antibiotics basics for clinicians. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Karp, G. (2009). Cell and molecular biology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons
Mayers, D. & Lerner, S. A. (2009). Antimicrobial drug resistance handbook. NY: Springer Publishers
Wong, D. M. & Lowe, L. (2006). Guidelines for the use of antibiotics in acute upper respiratory tract infections. American Family Physician, 74(6)
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