Do antibiotics cause significant harm to the body? Antibiotics - history of creation. Negative consequences for the nervous and cardiovascular systems

With the discovery of penicillin in 1928, a new era in people's lives began, the era of antibiotics. Few people think about the fact that before this discovery, for thousands of years main danger for a person they were precisely infectious diseases, which periodically took on the scale of epidemics, mowing down entire regions. But even without epidemics, mortality from infections was extremely high, and the low life expectancy, when a 30-year-old person was considered elderly, was due precisely to this reason.

Antibiotics turned the world upside down and changed life, if not more than the invention of electricity, then certainly no less. Why are we wary of them? The reason is the ambiguous effect of these drugs on the body. Let's try to figure out what this effect is, and what antibiotics have actually become for people, salvation or curse.

Anti-life drugs?

“Anti bios” translated from Latin means “against life”, so antibiotics are anti-life drugs. Chilling definition, isn't it? In fact, antibiotics have saved millions of lives. Scientific name Antibiotics are antibacterial drugs, which more accurately corresponds to their function. Thus, the action of antibiotics is not directed against a person, but against microorganisms that penetrate his body.

The danger is that most antibiotics affect not just one pathogen of a particular disease, but entire groups of microbes, where there are not only pathogenic bacteria, but also those that are necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

It is known that the human intestine contains about 2 kg of microbes - great amount mainly bacteria, without which normal intestinal functioning is impossible. Beneficial bacteria are also present on the skin, in the oral cavity and vagina - in all places where the body may come into contact with an environment foreign to it. Various groups bacteria coexist in balance with each other and with other microorganisms, in particular fungi. An imbalance leads to excessive growth of antagonists, the same fungi. This is how dysbiosis develops, or an imbalance of microorganisms in the human body.

Dysbacteriosis is one of the most common negative consequences of taking antibiotics. Its particular manifestation is fungal infections, a prominent representative of which is the well-known thrush. That is why, when prescribing antibiotics, the doctor usually prescribes drugs that help restore the microflora. However, such drugs should not be taken during antibiotic therapy, but after it.

It is clear that the more powerful drug is accepted and the wider its spectrum of action, the more bacteria will die. This is why it is advisable to use antibiotics wide range actions only in cases of extreme necessity, and in all other situations select a drug with a narrow spectrum of action that has a targeted effect only on small, necessary groups bacteria. This is an important measure to prevent dysbiosis during antibiotic therapy.

Harmful effects of beneficial drugs

It has long been established that harmless drugs do not exist in nature. Even the most harmless drug, if used incorrectly, causes unwanted effects, let alone such powerful drugs as antibiotics.

It should be understood that side effects this is a possible, but not necessary, consequence of taking antibacterial agents. If the drug has been tested and accepted into clinical practice, this means that it has been unequivocally and convincingly proven that its benefits for most people significantly exceed possible harm. However, all people have their own characteristics, the reaction of each organism to a drug is determined by hundreds of factors, and there are a number of people whose reaction to the drug, for one reason or another, turned out to be rather negative.

Possible negative reactions are always listed as side effects of any medicine. Antibiotics have the ability to cause side effects expressed quite strongly, since they have a powerful effect on the body.

Let's focus on the main ones undesirable consequences their reception:

Allergic reactions. They can manifest themselves in different ways, most often it is skin rash and itching. Allergies can be caused by any antibiotics, but the most common are cephalosporins, beta-lactans and penicillins;
Toxic effects. Particularly vulnerable in this regard are the liver, which performs the function of purifying the blood from poisons in the body, and the kidneys, through which toxins are eliminated from the body. In particular, tetracycline antibiotics have a hepatotoxic effect, and aminoglycosides, polymexins and some cephalosporins have a nephrotoxic effect. In addition, aminoglycosides can cause irreversible damage auditory nerve, which leads to deafness. Striking nerve structures fluoroquinolones and antibacterial agents nitrofuran series. Levomycetin has a toxic effect on the blood and the embryo. Negative influence Antibiotics of the amphenicol group, cephalosporins and some types of penicillin are known to affect the process of hematopoiesis;
Immune suppression. Immunity is protective forces the body, its “defense”, protecting the body from the invasion of pathogenic agents. Immune suppression weakens the body's natural defenses, which is why antibiotic therapy should not be excessively long. To one degree or another, the immune system is suppressed by most antibacterial drugs, the most negative in this regard is the effect of tetracyclines and the same chloramphenicol.

Thus, it becomes clear why doctors insist that patients never, under any circumstances, self-medicate, especially self-medicate with antibiotics. If used thoughtlessly, if the existing characteristics of the body are ignored, the medicine may turn out to be worse than the disease. Does this mean that antibiotics are harmful? Of course no. The answer is best illustrated by the example of a knife: few tools have been and remain so necessary and useful to a person However, if used incorrectly, a knife can become a murder weapon.

When are antibiotics harmful?

So, antibiotics are rather useful for humanity, although they can be harmful under certain conditions. However, there are conditions when taking antibiotics is definitely not necessary. These are the following pathologies:

Viral diseases, including influenza, which doctors call ARVI, and people not associated with medicine call the common cold. Antibacterial drugs do not act on viruses; moreover, they reduce immunity, which is the main antiviral tool;
Diarrhea. As we found out earlier, taking antibiotics can lead to dysbiosis, one of the manifestations of which is diarrhea. At intestinal disorders if antibiotics are taken, then only as prescribed by a doctor after accurate identification of the pathogen;
Elevated temperature headache, cough. Contrary to popular belief, an antibiotic is neither an antipyretic, nor an analgesic, nor an antitussive. Heat, cough, headache, muscle or joint pain These are just symptoms inherent in many diseases. If they are not caused by bacteria, taking antibiotics is completely useless, and given the side effects, it is rather harmful.

To summarize, it must be said that antibiotics are powerful and effective medicine, whose effect on the body depends entirely on how correctly it is used.

Antibiotics are substances of a natural or semi-synthetic nature that can suppress the growth and development of bacteria (protozoa and prokaryotes). Antibiotics, which suppress growth and reproduction in combination with minor damage to body cells, are used as the basis for medicines. There is no clear opinion whether antibiotics are harmful or beneficial, so carefully understand this issue before you start taking them.

The discovery of antibiotics was a major medical breakthrough. Despite criticism, antibiotics help cure deadly diseases. The effect of antibiotics on the body is constantly being studied, and improved strains are being produced.

Only the attending physician can prescribe antibiotics based on tests.

Pregnancy is a contraindication to the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics have a bad effect on the fetus.

The list of diseases in which the benefits of antibiotics for humans are greater than the harm:

pneumonia;
tuberculosis;
gastrointestinal infection;
venereal disease;
blood poisoning;
postoperative complications.

Remember that medications are only useful if:

antibiotics were prescribed by the attending physician;
the dosage was observed (the liver was not overloaded);
you drank the full cycle;
the disease is not viral (viruses cannot be treated with antibiotics).

Thanks to antibiotics, you will be cured of diseases and boost your immunity.

We are surrounded by bacteria. The use of antibiotics hits them hard, but it also hits own body. Therefore, the harm of antibiotics has been identified, which sometimes exceeds the benefits.

Before you start taking medications, find out why antibiotics are harmful to you.

Destruction of bacteria

The original antibiotics were close to the microflora of the body, so they were destroyed exclusively harmful bacteria. The current generation of antibiotics is synthesized, so they are characterized not by selective, but by total (complete) destruction of bacteria inside the body, including beneficial ones.

Adaptation

Pathogenic bacteria are predisposed to adapt to antibiotics. Therefore, every 2-3 months it is released new form drugs that can destroy pathogenic flora.

Slow restoration of microflora

Beneficial microflora is restored more slowly than pathogenic ones. Therefore, the harm of antibiotics to the body manifests itself as follows: we destroy bacteria, depriving the body of immunity due to slow recovery intestinal microflora.

Pregnancy

During the 1st and 2nd trimesters, taking antibiotics is contraindicated - toxic effects will provoke defects in the development of the fetus. The only exception is a doctor’s prescription, which takes into account the harm of antibiotics during pregnancy, and strict monitoring.

Allergic reaction

When taking antibiotics, an allergic reaction is possible, sometimes severe, with itching, redness, rashes or swelling.

Influence at nervous system

Antibiotics have a harmful effect on the human nervous system. This manifests itself in the form of violations vestibular apparatus, disorders with the possibility of visual and auditory hallucinations.

Consult your doctor and take medications strictly according to the schedule - this will ensure minimal harm with maximum benefit.

How to take antibiotics without harm

If the attending physician prescribes antibiotics, then your task is to ensure maximum benefit and minimum harm from taking it.

To reduce the harm from taking antibiotics, follow the rules:

follow the dosage. When purchasing medicine from a pharmacy, check the dosage and make sure it is correct;
read the instructions. If you find a disease that you have as a contraindication for use, please consult a physician for advice;
eat before taking the medicine. Full stomach will reduce the harm from antibiotics without causing irritation of the mucous membranes;
take the medicine with water;
Do not take antibiotics and absorbent or blood thinning drugs at the same time;
come on in full course. Even if you feel better, you should not interrupt the course. This will allow incompletely suppressed bacteria to form resistance, ensuring further ineffectiveness of treatment;
maintain normal intestinal microflora through the simultaneous use of probiotics, lactobacilli, immunomodulators and vitamin complexes with antibiotics.

Alcohol compatibility

There was a myth that the combined use of alcohol and antibiotics leads to a worsening of the condition or blocks the effect of the medicine. According to scientists, it is much more dangerous if a patient skips taking an antibiotic because he drank wine beforehand. Each missed pill causes an increase in resistance pathogenic flora to treatment.

The word "antibiotic" is formed from two elements Greek origin: anti- - “against” and bios- "life". Antibiotics are those produced by microorganisms higher plants or tissues of animal organisms, substances that selectively inhibit the development of microorganisms (or malignant tumor cells).

The story of the discovery of the first antibiotic - penicillin - by Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming in 1829 is interesting: being a sloppy person by nature, he really did not like... washing cups with bacteriological cultures. Every 2-3 weeks, a whole pile of dirty cups would grow on his desk, and he reluctantly began cleaning the “Augean stables.” One of these actions produced an unexpected result, the scale of the consequences of which the scientist himself could not assess at that moment. Mold was found in one of the cups, suppressing the growth of the sown culture of pathogenic bacteria of the group staphylococcus. In addition, the “broth” on which mold had grown acquired distinct bactericidal properties against many common pathogenic bacteria. The mold that infected the crop was of the penicillium species.

Penicillin was obtained in purified form only in 1940, i.e. 11 years after its opening, in the UK. To say that this revolutionized medicine is an understatement. But any medal, alas, has two sides...

The other side of the coin

Having discovered such a powerful weapon in the fight against pathogens, humanity has fallen into euphoria: why take a long and painstaking time to select drug therapy, if you can “shun” harmful microbes with an antibiotic? But microbes are also “not bastard” - they very effectively protect themselves from formidable weapons, developing resistance to them. If an antibiotic, say, blocks the synthesis of proteins necessary for a microbe, the microbe in response to this simply... changes the protein that ensures its vital functions. Some microorganisms manage to learn to produce enzymes that destroy the antibiotic itself. In short, there are many ways, and “cunning” microbes do not neglect any of them. But the saddest thing is that microbial resistance can be transferred from one species to another through interspecific crossing! The more often an antibiotic is used, the faster and more successfully the microbes adapt to it. As you understand, a vicious circle arises - in order to break it, scientists are forced to enter into an “arms race” imposed by microbes, creating more and more new types of antibiotics.

The new generation chooses...

To date, more than 200 have been created antimicrobials, of which more than 150 are used to treat children. Their sophisticated names often confuse people who are not related to medicine. How to understand the abundance of intricate terms? As always, classification comes to the rescue. All antibiotics are divided into groups depending on the method of action on microorganisms.

Penicillins And cephalosporins destroy the bacterial cell membrane.

Aminoglycosides, macrolides, chloramphenicol, rifampicin And lincomycin kill bacteria by suppressing the synthesis of different enzymes - each with its own.

Fluoroquinolones destroy microorganisms more “sophistically”: the enzyme they suppress is responsible for the proliferation of microbes.

In the ongoing competition with microbes, scientists have to come up with more and more new methods of struggle - each of them gives rise to a new one generation appropriate group of antibiotics.

Now about the names. Alas, there is a fair amount of confusion here. The fact is that in addition to the main international (so-called generic) names, many antibiotics also have brand names, patented by one or another specific manufacturer (there are more than 600 of them in Russia). So, for example, the same drug can be called amoxicillin, Ospamox and Flemoxin Solutab. How to figure it out? According to the law, along with the patented brand name on the packaging of the medicine, its generic name must also be indicated - in small print, often in Latin (in in this case- amoxycillinum).

When prescribing an antibiotic, they often talk about drug of first choice And reserve drugs. The drug of first choice is the drug whose prescription is determined by the diagnosis - if the patient does not have resistance or allergy to this drug. IN the latter case Reserve drugs are usually prescribed.

What to expect and what not to expect from antibiotics

Antibiotics can cure disease caused by bacteria, fungi and protozoa, but not viruses. That is why it is useless to expect an effect from an antibiotic prescribed for ARVI; more precisely, the effect in such cases can be negative: the temperature persists despite taking the antibiotic - here is a “nutrient medium” for spreading rumors about the allegedly lost effectiveness of antibiotics or about the widespread resistance of microbes. Prescribing an antibiotic for viral infection does not prevent bacterial complications. On the contrary, by inhibiting the growth of drug-sensitive microbes, such as those living in the respiratory tract, the antibiotic facilitates colonization respiratory tract pathogenic bacteria resistant to it, easily causing complications.

Antibiotics do not suppress inflammatory process, causing a rise in temperature, so the antibiotic cannot “bring down the temperature” after half an hour, like paracetamol. When taking an antibiotic, a drop in temperature occurs only after a few hours or even after 1-3 days. This is why you cannot give an antibiotic and an antipyretic at the same time: a drop in temperature from paracetamol can mask the lack of effect from the antibiotic, and if there is no effect, the antibiotic, naturally, needs to be changed as soon as possible.

However, the preservation of temperature cannot be considered a sign that clearly indicates the ineffectiveness of the antibiotic being taken: sometimes a pronounced inflammatory reaction and the formation of pus require additional treatment. antibacterial treatment(prescribing anti-inflammatory drugs, opening an abscess).

The choice is up to the doctor

For the treatment of diseases caused by microbes sensitive to antibiotics, drugs of first choice are usually used. So, sore throat, otitis, pneumonia are treated amoxicillin or smallpox, mycoplasma infection or chlamydia erythromycin or another antibiotic from the group macrolides.

Pathogens intestinal infections often quickly develop resistance to antibiotics, therefore, when treating intestinal infections, antibiotics are used only in severe cases- usually cephalosporins 2-3rd generations or quinolones.

Infections urinary tract are caused by representatives of the intestinal flora, they are treated amoxicillin or, in case of resistance of pathogens, reserve drugs.

How long do you take the antibiotic? For most acute illnesses, it is given within 2-3 days after the temperature drops, but there are many exceptions. So, otitis is usually treated with amoxicillin for no more than 7-10 days, and sore throat - for at least 10 days, otherwise there may be a relapse.

Tablets, syrups, ointments, drops...

For children, drugs in children's forms are especially convenient. Thus, the amoxicillin drug Flemoxin Solutab is available in soluble tablets, they are easy to give with milk or tea. Many drugs, such as josamycin (Vilprafen), azithromycin (Sumamed), cefuroxime (Zinnat), amoxicillin (Ospamox), etc., are available in syrup or granules for its preparation.

There are several forms of antibiotics for external use - chloramphenicol, gentamicin, erythromycin ointments, tobramycin eye drops and etc.

Dangerous Friends

The dangers associated with taking antibiotics are often exaggerated, but they should always be kept in mind.

Because antibiotics suppress normal flora organism, they can cause dysbacteriosis, i.e. the proliferation of bacteria or fungi that are not characteristic of a particular organ, primarily the intestines. However, only in in rare cases such dysbiosis is dangerous: with short-term (1-3 weeks) treatment with antibiotics, manifestations of dysbiosis are recorded extremely rarely, and besides, penicillin, macrolides, and 1st generation cephalosporins do not suppress the growth of intestinal flora. So antifungal (nystatin) and bacterial (Bifidumbacterin, Lactobacterin) drugs are used to prevent dysbacteriosis only in cases long-term treatment several medicines wide antibacterial spectrum.

The term "dysbacteriosis", however, in Lately began to abuse it - they put it as a diagnosis, attributing almost any dysfunction to it gastrointestinal tract. Is there any harm from such abuse? Yes, because it interferes with the production correct diagnosis. For example, many children with food intolerance dysbacteriosis is diagnosed and then “treated” with Bifidumbacterin, usually without success. Yes, and stool tests for dysbacteriosis cost a lot.

Another danger that lurks when taking antibiotics is allergy. Some people (including infants) are allergic to penicillins and other antibiotic drugs: rashes, shock reactions (the latter, fortunately, are very rare). If your child has already had a reaction to one or another antibiotic, you must inform the doctor about this, and he will easily select a replacement. Allergic reactions are especially common in cases where an antibiotic is given to a patient suffering from a non-bacterial disease: the fact is that many bacterial infections they seem to reduce the patient’s “allergic readiness,” which reduces the risk of a reaction to the antibiotic.

Aminoglycosides can cause kidney damage and deafness; they are not used unless absolutely necessary. Tetracyclines stain the enamel of growing teeth and are given to children only after 8 years of age. Drugs fluoroquinolones They are not prescribed to children due to the risk of growth impairment; they are given only for health reasons.

Taking into account all of the above “risk factors”, the doctor must assess the likelihood of complications and use the drug only when refusing treatment is associated with a high degree of risk.

You can write a lot about antibiotics, but this short note, I hope, has helped you better understand the main aspects antibacterial therapy, and this will allow you to treat the doctor’s prescriptions more consciously.

In conclusion, it remains only to say a few words about the economic aspects of prescribing antibiotics. New antibiotics are very expensive. There is no doubt that there are situations when their use is necessary, but I often come across cases when these drugs are prescribed unnecessarily, for diseases that can be easily cured with cheap “old-style” drugs. I agree that you should not skimp if we're talking about about the treatment of the child. But spending should be reasonable! (You can, for example, buy an antibiotic in syrup form: syrups are quite expensive, but children take them willingly, and dosing syrup or drops is very convenient.) However, this does not mean that when choosing a drug you should not take into account the financial side of the matter. Don’t be embarrassed to ask your doctor how much the prescribed prescription will cost you, and if it doesn’t suit you (too expensive or too cheap - this also often worries parents), look with your doctor for a replacement that suits you. I want to repeat once again: dozens of drugs available in pharmacies today almost always make it possible to find effective medicine, according to your capabilities.

In a dispute about benefits and harms of antibiotics the truth, as always, lies exactly in the middle. There are situations when children really need antibiotics, but they need to be prescribed carefully. Especially when it comes to very young children.

Can't do without them

However, antibiotics are powerless against viruses, which, among other things, cause most colds. However, many parents often give their children antibiotics when they have a cold, not realizing that this is pointless. Even if these drugs have an effect, it will be by accident - only if the cause of the disease is bacteria, which is extremely rare in the situation with acute respiratory infections.

A spoon of tar

The main disadvantage of antibiotics is that they act not only on harmful, but also on beneficial microorganisms (for example, those that help the intestines function). For this reason, treatment with antibiotics “along the way” causes a violation. To prevent this problem, doctors prescribe drugs along with antibiotics or after they are finished taking them that help restore healthy microflora intestines (pre- and probiotics).

There is another problem: if you use antibiotics too often, harmful bacteria will get used to a certain type of drug and stop responding to it. For example, a third of modern pneumococci and Haemophilus influenzae (they cause pneumonia and) are immune to penicillin, which until recently was their worst enemy.

Why, despite the “disadvantages” of antibiotics, are they still prescribed to children with acute respiratory infections? The fact is that infectious diseases, even seemingly “frivolous” ones, can cause complications in children. Just a few decades ago, cases were not uncommon when ordinary otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear) led to the development of meningitis (inflammation meninges). These days, conditions in hospitals and medical equipment have become much better, and if complications do arise, doctors are able to quickly identify them and cope with them more easily. So experts are now abandoning the previous tradition of prescribing antibiotics “just in case.”

What to do?

How can children be treated for colds if antibiotics are of no benefit? When everything is fine with the child’s immunity and he catches colds infrequently (3-5 times a year), he protective system will be able to cope with respiratory infections. So if the little one has a runny nose and slight fever, but at the same time he still plays with pleasure and eats well, his body will “get over” itself. In such a situation, it is enough to limit yourself to nasal drops and cough syrup. But if the temperature does not decrease within 3-4 days, the baby eats and sleeps poorly, and the nasal discharge has become thick and yellowish, it means that bacteria have joined the viral infection, and you cannot do without the help of antibiotics! In this case, you need to call a pediatrician, he will prescribe treatment for the baby and prescribe antibiotics.

But with children under 1.5 years old, “wait and see” tactics cannot be used. Their immune system does not work as well as that of older children and may not cope with a bacterial or viral attack. So a very small child should be shown to the doctor immediately, without hoping that his body will overcome the cold on its own.

No amateur performances!

Antibiotics should not be chosen “by eye,” especially for children. Assign to baby the right antibiotic Only a doctor can. Sometimes, in order to accurately identify the “initiator” of the disease and decide on the choice of drug, pediatricians refer children for blood, urine or sputum tests. But more often, doctors prescribe treatment based on the symptoms of the disease.

Antibiotics became a global discovery and a real panacea for humanity. Their appearance helped to significantly reduce the mortality rate from many diseases, including those that were considered severe and incurable. Today, expert opinions are divided: the benefits or harms of antibiotics should be given priority when choosing a therapeutic regimen.

Action of antibacterial drugs

It has long been known that humans live in a world of bacteria. Many microorganisms have beneficial influence on people’s livelihoods, but they can also cause harm, especially those. which are capable of penetrating into the body. Swipe Antibiotics can be used against pathogenic bacteria. These strains of microorganisms were isolated precisely for this purpose and have proven their effectiveness in practice.

Some childhood diseases, indeed, can only be treated with antibacterial treatment. Doctors practice antibiotic therapy in the treatment of childhood diseases in the following cases:

with sore throat;
otitis;
pneumonia and severe bronchitis;
inflammatory pathologies of the urinary system.

Rules for treating babies

The question of treating the baby with antibiotics is decided by the pediatrician, who also selects the therapeutic drug and dosage for little patient, discusses with parents the issue of without harm to the child’s body.

It is important to strictly adhere to the dosage and frequency of taking the drug prescribed by the doctor.
The recommended duration of taking the antibiotic should be followed.
The baby is not given antibiotics at the same time as antihistamines.
You should strictly follow the diet and principles of feeding the child recommended by the doctor during treatment.

Risk of side effects

The side effects caused by antibiotics should not be ignored. Harm to the body is manifested against the background of the fact that antimicrobial drugs are designed to specifically affect pathogenic bacteria, while their impact on beneficial microflora is not excluded.

When prescribing antibiotics to their patients, doctors take into account the possible negative consequences of taking them for the body, which may manifest themselves:

in severe fetal malformations in pregnant women, especially in the first two trimesters of pregnancy;
in health problems and intestinal microflora at infants whose mothers take antibiotics;
in expressed allergic reactions in the form of rash, itching, swelling;
in cerebral disorders, dysfunctions of the vestibular apparatus;
in malfunctions of the liver, gall bladder, biliary dysfunction.

Doctors also diagnose endocrine disruptions in their patients due to simultaneous administration antibiotics and steroid drugs. Complex failures immune system Antibiotics can also provoke. The harms and benefits of treatment with such medications are necessarily taken into account by the attending doctor, therefore the decision on treatment tactics should be entrusted to specialists, avoiding self-medication.

Conditions for effective use of antibiotics

Despite the cautious attitude towards antibiotic-based drugs, it is very difficult to argue about their undoubted benefits. Those pathologies that are difficult to cure are amenable to therapeutic correction with antibiotics. Modern drugs, created on a synthetic basis, are relatively safe if the rules for their use are followed.

You can take antibiotics without harm to the body if you follow a number of simple rules:

Before deciding on antibiotic treatment, you should always consult your doctor and strictly follow his instructions on dosage and duration of use.
Strictly adhere to appointment times medicine, thereby ensuring its constant level in the body.
Do not stop taking the drug on your own, even if you feel better.

It should also be taken into account that the same antibiotics can be sold by pharmacy chains under different commercial names. Before purchasing drugs prescribed by a doctor, it is worth finding out whether they are drugs of the same therapeutic series.