Antibiotic Side Effects

Study Notes

Common side effects:
- Gastrointestinal upset (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting)
- Allergic reactions (rash, hives, itching)
- Yeast infections (vaginal or oral)
Less common side effects:
- Kidney damage (nephrotoxicity)
- Hearing loss (ototoxicity)
- Increased risk of Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection
Rare but serious side effects:
- Anaphylaxis (life-threatening allergic reaction)
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome (severe skin and mucous membrane reaction)

Occurs when bacteria develop mechanisms to survive antibiotic treatment
Can be caused by:
- Overuse or misuse of antibiotics
- Inadequate treatment courses
- Genetic mutations in bacteria
Consequences:
- Reduced effectiveness of antibiotic treatment
- Increased risk of treatment failure
- Increased risk of antibiotic-related side effects

Antibiotics work by:
- Inhibiting bacterial cell wall formation (e.g., beta-lactam antibiotics)
- Interfering with bacterial protein synthesis (e.g., macrolide antibiotics)
- Inhibiting bacterial DNA replication (e.g., fluoroquinolone antibiotics)
- Disrupting bacterial membrane function (e.g., polymyxin antibiotics)

Bactericidal antibiotics:
- Kill bacteria directly (e.g., beta-lactam antibiotics)
Bacteriostatic antibiotics:
- Inhibit bacterial growth and reproduction (e.g., tetracycline antibiotics)
Broad-spectrum antibiotics:
- Effective against a wide range of bacteria (e.g., fluoroquinolone antibiotics)
Narrow-spectrum antibiotics:
- Effective against a specific type of bacteria (e.g., macrolide antibiotics)

A 35-year-old patient presents with a severe case of pneumonia. The patient has a history of allergies and is currently taking medications for high blood pressure and diabetes.
What factors should be considered when selecting an antibiotic for this patient?
- Allergic reactions to antibiotics
- Potential interactions with existing medications
- Effectiveness against the specific type of bacteria causing the infection
- Risk of antibiotic resistance
- Patient's underlying medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, high blood pressure)

Gastrointestinal upset, allergic reactions, and yeast infections are common side effects of antibiotics
Less common side effects include kidney damage, hearing loss, and increased risk of C.diff infection
Rare but serious side effects include anaphylaxis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop mechanisms to survive antibiotic treatment
Causes of antibiotic resistance include overuse or misuse of antibiotics, inadequate treatment courses, and genetic mutations in bacteria
Consequences of antibiotic resistance include reduced effectiveness of antibiotic treatment, increased risk of treatment failure, and increased risk of antibiotic-related side effects

Antibiotics work by inhibiting bacterial cell wall formation, interfering with bacterial protein synthesis, inhibiting bacterial DNA replication, or disrupting bacterial membrane function
Different types of antibiotics have different mechanisms of action, such as beta-lactam antibiotics inhibiting bacterial cell wall formation and macrolide antibiotics interfering with bacterial protein synthesis

Bactericidal antibiotics kill bacteria directly, whereas bacteriostatic antibiotics inhibit bacterial growth and reproduction
Broad-spectrum antibiotics are effective against a wide range of bacteria, whereas narrow-spectrum antibiotics are effective against a specific type of bacteria
Examples of antibiotic types include beta-lactam antibiotics (bactericidal), tetracycline antibiotics (bacteriostatic), fluoroquinolone antibiotics (broad-spectrum), and macrolide antibiotics (narrow-spectrum)

Factors to consider when selecting an antibiotic include the patient's allergies, potential interactions with existing medications, effectiveness against the specific type of bacteria causing the infection, risk of antibiotic resistance, and patient's underlying medical conditions