Tag: antibiotics

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Health Medicine

Antibiotic Side Effects in Elderly People: What to Keep in Mind

Antibiotics are a vital tool in modern medicine, helping to combat bacterial infections and save lives. However, their use is not without risks, especially for elderly individuals. As our loved ones age, their bodies undergo various changes that can make them more susceptible to antibiotic side effects.

In this article, we will explore the potential risks associated with antibiotics in the elderly and provide guidance on how to minimize these risks.

1. Antibiotics and Elderly Health: A Delicate Balance

Antibiotics are prescribed to treat bacterial infections, but their effects on the body can be broad-reaching. For elderly individuals, these effects can sometimes be more pronounced due to age-related changes in physiology. It’s crucial to strike a delicate balance between addressing the infection and minimizing the potential harm caused by antibiotics.

2. Common Antibiotic Side Effects in Elderly People

Elderly individuals may experience a range of side effects when taking antibiotics. These side effects can include:

  • Gastrointestinal Distress: Upset stomach, diarrhea, and abdominal pain are common complaints among seniors taking antibiotics.
  • Weakened Immune Response: Some antibiotics can suppress the immune system, leaving the elderly more vulnerable to other infections.
  • Kidney and Liver Function: Antibiotics are metabolized in the liver and excreted by the kidneys. As these organs may not function as efficiently in the elderly, the risk of drug accumulation and toxicity increases.
  • Allergic Reactions: Allergic reactions to antibiotics can occur at any age, but they may be more severe in the elderly due to reduced immune system function.
  • Drug Interactions: Seniors often take multiple medications for various health conditions, and antibiotics can interact with these drugs, potentially leading to adverse effects.

3. The Importance of Proper Dosage and Timing

To minimize the risk of side effects in elderly patients, healthcare providers must carefully consider the choice of antibiotics, their dosage, and the timing of administration.

  • Individualized Treatment Plans: Healthcare providers should assess the patient’s overall health, any pre-existing conditions, and potential drug interactions before prescribing antibiotics.
  • Renal Function Monitoring: For antibiotics that are primarily excreted through the kidneys, regular monitoring of renal function is essential to adjust the dosage as needed.
  • Compliance and Medication Management: Elderly patients may need assistance in managing their medications, especially if they are on multiple drugs. Compounding pharmacies can play a crucial role in providing personalized medication solutions that are easier for seniors to manage.

4. Mitigating Risks and Promoting Well-being

While antibiotics are essential for treating infections, there are steps that can be taken to mitigate risks and promote the well-being of elderly individuals during antibiotic therapy.

  • Probiotics: In some cases, healthcare providers may recommend probiotics to help maintain a healthy gut flora, which can be disrupted by antibiotics.
  • Hydration: Ensuring that elderly patients remain adequately hydrated can help prevent complications, particularly kidney issues associated with antibiotic use.
  • Education: Patients and their caregivers should be educated about the potential side effects of antibiotics and encouraged to report any unusual symptoms promptly.
  • Regular Monitoring: Healthcare providers should schedule follow-up appointments to monitor the patient’s progress and adjust treatment as necessary.

5. Alternatives to Antibiotics

In some situations, especially when an elderly individual is particularly vulnerable to antibiotic side effects, healthcare providers may explore alternatives to antibiotics. These alternatives may include:

  • Watchful Waiting: Sometimes, mild infections can resolve on their own with proper rest and care.
  • Non-Antibiotic Treatments: Depending on the type of infection, other treatments such as antiviral or antifungal medications may be considered.
  • Preventative Measures: In some cases, preventive measures like vaccines can be employed to reduce the risk of infection in the first place.

6. Conclusion

When it comes to managing antibiotic therapies for elderly loved ones, knowledge is power. Understanding the potential side effects, individualized treatment plans, and close monitoring are all essential aspects of ensuring their well-being. And when it comes to safe and effective medication management, Burt’s Rx is here to make a difference.

At Burt’s Rx, we specialize in compounding medications, tailoring each prescription to meet the unique needs of our patients, especially seniors who may be on multiple medications. Our experienced pharmacists work hand-in-hand with healthcare providers to provide personalized solutions that are easier to manage, ensuring the utmost safety and effectiveness.

When it’s time to take that extra step in safeguarding your elderly loved one’s health, trust Burt’s Rx as your partner in care. With our commitment to excellence and patient-focused approach, you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re making the right choice for their well-being.

So, don’t hesitate to explore the benefits of compounding pharmacy services offered by Burt’s Rx. Your loved one’s health deserves the best, and we’re here to provide it.

Remember, when it comes to their health, choose Burt’s Rx for a brighter and healthier future.

Disclaimer: This article is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only. Do not substitute it for medical advice. Always listen to your doctor for the management of your condition.

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Drugs

Missed Antibiotic Dose? Here’s What To Do

When you are prescribed antibiotics, there is typically a certain schedule to follow when taking them. But what should you do if you have a missed antibiotic dose?

According to reports, in past years, doctors in the United States prescribed over 270 million antibiotics to patients, saving hundreds of thousands of lives.

Bacteria often cause infections. To fight the infection, antibiotics are given as a line of defense. Antibiotics keep the bacteria from growing and can kill bacteria. While they work well on humans and animals, antibiotics do not kill viruses, only bacteria.

Advantages of Taking Antibiotics

There are many benefits of antibiotics. If you are going into surgery, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic. They do this not because you have an infection, but as a preventive measure, so you won’t get an infection. With advancements, antibiotics can start fighting bacterial infections within just a few hours.

Antibiotics work to eliminate or reduce almost all bacteria, no matter what type. They are easy to take and don’t cost a lot of money, making them an excellent option for sick patients. The most critical factor in taking antibiotics is to take them as prescribed. With hectic lifestyles, it can be easy to quit taking them as soon as you start to feel better, or skipping a dose, either accidentally or on purpose.

However, if you’ve missed an antibiotic dose, you could have an illness relapse or experience adverse side effects. One study found that patients who did not take their antibiotics as prescribed had more extended hospital stays than those who stayed on their antibiotic schedule.

Below are some essential tips to help you know what to do if you have missed an antibiotic dose.

What to do If You Miss an Antibiotic Dose

Learning everything you can about the antibiotics you are putting into your body will help you know what to expect if you miss a dose. When you receive your prescription from the pharmacy, you can speak with your pharmacist and ask questions. Take this opportunity.

Ask questions about potential side effects, interactions, and what happens if a dose is missed.

If you can’t speak with your pharmacist, you can read the extensive written literature that accompanies your prescription. The printed papers also give you further online resources to check out for more information.

Do Not Double Up

Doubling up on a dose of antibiotics will not likely do long-term damage. However, you can experience adverse side effects. If you are already experiencing side effects by a single dose of antibiotics, the symptoms may double in severity.

There is a reason the doctor didn’t prescribe a double dose in the first place. Some side effects can include:

  • Rashes
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea, or other digestive issues

Some antibiotics can lead to yeast infections. Contacting experts is always a good idea.

Call Your Pharmacist

Your local pharmacist is the expert in the antibiotic you are taking. Your doctor understands the drug enough to prescribe it, but your pharmacist compounds the chemicals that create the drug. They know precisely what will happen if you have missed an antibiotic dose.

Before you take action, like doubling up on a dose, find out what will happen. You do not want to guess and find out you were wrong. Your pharmacist may want you to confirm instructions with your prescribing doctor. Ultimately, it is your doctor’s orders you need to follow.

Call Your Doctor

When you contact your doctor, there are questions you will need to answer. Your doctor will want to know more about your missed dose of antibiotics, like how long it has been since your last dose.

Instructions on how to proceed will be different if it has been an hour since your last dose versus a day or more since your last dose. This is a perfect time to tell your doctor of any reactions or side effects you may be having to see if they are normal, if you need to stop taking medicine, or if you need to try a different antibiotic.

Complete the Course

Your doctor prescribes antibiotics to be taken in full. Even though you may start feeling much better after a day or so, you must continue to take your antibiotics until they are all gone or until the doctor says to stop.

Some of you may want to hoard antibiotics to avoid a future visit to the doctor. This is also a bad idea. Completing your course of medicine gives you a better chance that the infection will not return. Bacteria can linger in your body, and although you feel fine, they can be reproducing and spreading the infection.

If you don’t kill the bacteria in your system, it can develop a resistance to the antibiotics, making it even more challenging to fight it off with future treatments. Antibiotic resistance is becoming a significant problem today. The Center for Disease Control reports nearly 3 million people in the U.S. are resistant to antibiotic treatments. Of that number, 35,000 people die.

Preventing a Missed Antibiotic Dose: Reminder Strategies

One of the best ways to avoid missed antibiotic doses is to implement strategies that help you stay on track.

Any medicine you take should be done at the same time each day. Creating a strict routine becomes part of your daily habits, making them easier to remember. Include taking antibiotics with other actions you do regularly each day. For example, if you eat breakfast at 9 a.m. each morning, take your antibiotic with breakfast. You can even leave yourself a reminder note next to your breakfast items.

Other reminder activities include setting the alarm on your phone, watch, or computer. Leave your antibiotic out where it is visible. If you put it in a drawer, you may forget about it. If it must be refrigerated, put a note on the front of the fridge to remind you it is in there.

Finally, ask for help. Have a friend or family member send a text or call you.

Missing an antibiotic dose is common; it happens all the time. Knowing what to do if you’ve missed an antibiotic dose will lead to continued healing so you can get back to living a healthy, happy lifestyle.

And if you need more information about how a compounding pharmacy can help, contact Burt’s Rx today! We offer services such as pediatric compounding, pet compounding, compounded medication for pain management, BHRT, and dental compounding.

Categories
Health

Mixing Alcohol and Antibiotics: Is It Safe?

Antibiotics are prescribed for many bacterial infections, but is mixing alcohol and antibiotics actually dangerous? Here’s what you should know.

Are you taking antibiotics? If you’re considering having a drink to help you recover, relax, and unwind, you might want to think again. Mixing alcohol and antibiotics can result in uncomfortable or even dangerous side effects. Because of this, most doctors recommend avoiding it in the first place.

But just how dangerous is it to mix antibiotics and alcohol, really? Which antibiotic drugs are highly interactive, and what kind of symptoms might you experience, should you decide to indulge?

It’s important to be safe and in control of your health. Let us help you better understand this complex topic so you can make safer, healthier decisions.

 

What Are Antibiotics?

Antibiotics are drugs that target and attack harmful bacteria in the body. Some drugs work by directly attacking and killing bad bacteria directly, while others prevent bacteria from reproducing. Both approaches essentially make it easier for your own body to fight off, and eliminate, the bad bacteria over time.

  • Narrow-spectrum antibiotics: are formulated to attack only specific bacteria, which can be advantageous if there are concerns and harming natural gut flora. Targeted antibiotics may also be more effective in treating severe or complex infections.
  • Broad-spectrum antibiotics: treat infections caused by an exhaustive list of known harmful and beneficial bacteria. Doctors often turn to these drugs first because of their wide scope of usefulness, although they may not be as effective at treating certain infections. BSAs also carry a higher risk for gastrointestinal upset because they kill off good and bad bacteria, including natural gut flora.

If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, it’s because he or she believes you have an infection that may not clear up without treatment or harm. You should take your antibiotics as directed, until finished, unless your doctor advises you otherwise.

 

Mixing Alcohol and Antibiotics

Not all antibiotics interact with alcohol. However, many of the drugs that are contraindicated with drinking are extremely common. That said, you’ll likely be receive these antibiotics at least once throughout your life.

That’s exactly why being aware of them, and the side effects they can cause, is so important.

In the following list, you’ll find a breakdown of antibiotic drug categories and how they interact with alcohol.

 

Common Antibiotic Interactions With Alcohol

Please be aware that the names on this list are generic only; your prescription could be the same drug under a different brand name. If you aren’t sure whether your prescription falls into one of these categories, it’s best to speak with your compounding pharmacist directly for advice.

– Tetracyclines

Both doxycycline and minocycline interact poorly with alcohol.

Drinking renders doxycycline ineffective, while ingesting alcohol with minocycline could lead to serious liver disease or liver failure. There are similar risks with erythromycin, too.

– Oxazolidinones

Oxazolidinones like linezolid and isoniazid should never be mixed with alcohol because the risk for extremely uncomfortable side effects is exceptionally high.

Patients who drink during treatment often experience intense anxiety, heart palpitations, high fevers, confusion, rapid breathing, extreme nausea, high blood pressure, seizures, and even coma or death.

– Sulfonamides

Drugs like sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (called “sulfa drugs”) are often prescribed for urinary tract infections. If you drink alcohol while taking them, you could increase your risk for rare folic acid deficiencies.

This is of special concern to women of child-bearing age who are currently attempting to become pregnant.

– Fluoroquinolones

Fluoroquinolones like ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin are commonly prescribed for skin infections, kidney infections, urinary tract infections, and ear infections.

You may develop serious side effects including attention problems, disorientation, confusion, anxiety, aggressiveness, memory loss, and issues with cognitive dysfunction if you mix this drug with alcohol.

– Nitroimidazole

This category includes metronidazole, tinidazole, cefoperazone, cefotetan, and ketoconazole and interacts poorly with alcohol. All are commonly prescribed in the treatment of oral and vaginal infections.

Nitroimidazoles interact with alcohol to cause moderate to severe abdominal cramping, intense nausea, frequent vomiting, severe headache, and facial flushing. These symptoms may occur even if you drink up to three days after treatment ends.

If you are prescribed one or more of these drugs, you should mixing alcohol and antibiotics is dangerous and you should avoid or limit the alcohol you drink until treatment is over. Foods cooked with alcohol generally do not pose as much of a risk, but may still trigger nausea in some patients.

 

Alcohol as an Immunosuppressive

Whether or not you are prescribed a drug known to interact poorly with alcohol, there are other important reasons to avoid it while you’re sick. Evidence shows that alcohol acts like an immunosuppressant in the human body, rendering the immune system less effective at fighting off infections.

What does this mean for you?

That cold beer on a hot day could mean you recover from your infection more slowly – or even not at all.

The risk for immunosuppression also correlates with how much you drink and whether or not you have pre-existing health problems.

  • Someone who is young with a relatively healthy immune system, and is suffering from a mild skin infection, for example, probably isn’t going to suffer much from just one drink.
  • A senior patient who has Diabetes who has three drinks every evening, however, is much more likely to experience immunosuppressive effects.

Then, there are the side effects of alcohol to consider, too. Alcohol dehydrates you; if you’re struggling with any kind of congestion or cold, you may find your symptoms worsen if you drink.

It is also very hard on the liver, cardiovascular system, and neurological function, all of which play a role in recovery from any illness.

Common Questions About Mixing The Two

What is the Antibiotic Spectrum?

Narrow-spectrum antibiotics attack only a specific bacteria while broad-spectrum antibiotics treat infections caused by an exhaustive list of known bacteria and have a wide scope of usefulness.

Do All Drugs Interact with Antibiotics?

Not all antibiotics interact with alcohol, but you’ll want to know which ones do.

What Common Antibiotics Interact with Alcohol?

Tetracyclines become ineffective if drinking, and can lead to serious liver disease or failure. Oxazolidinones have a high risk of side effects such as anxiety, heart palpitations, fevers, confusion, rapid breathing, seizures, or coma. Sulfonamides (for UTI’s) increase your risk of rare folic acid deficiencies. Nitroimidazole (for oral and vaginal infections) can cause severe abdominal cramping, nausea, frequent vomiting, and severe headache.

 

Conclusion

Overall, there’s really nothing wrong with drinking in moderation, but drinking while you’re sick isn’t usually healthy or wise. Mixing alcohol and antibiotics is just not a good idea. Between negative interactions, dehydration, and other associated risks, it just isn’t worth it.

Instead, take care of yourself by drinking plenty of fluids, such as fresh orange juice, tea, and plain water. Try your best to nourish your body with wholesome foods when taking antibiotics.

If you need more suggestions, your pharmacist is just a call away – don’t be afraid to reach out!

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