The Antibiotics and Drug Interactions Quiz

Antibiotics and Drug Interactions: Key Facts and Considerations

• Antibiotics can be classified into different categories, including penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, carbapenems, tetracyclines, macrolides, and lincosamides.
• Penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems are all beta-lactam antibiotics, sharing a common beta-lactam molecular structure.
• Tetracyclines are bacteriostatic antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis by targeting the 30s ribosomal subunit. They have the broadest antimicrobial spectrum.
• Macrolides and lincosamides are bacteriostatic antibiotics that also inhibit protein synthesis, but they target the 50s ribosomal subunit.
• Antibiotic prophylaxis is required before dental treatment for patients with certain cardiovascular conditions, such as prosthetic heart valves, history of endocarditis, heart transplant with valve dysfunction, or congenital heart problems.
• Patients with compromised immune systems, such as those undergoing organ transplants or cancer therapy, may also require antibiotic prophylaxis before dental treatment.
• Antibiotic prophylaxis is not recommended for dental procedures that are not invasive, such as simple restorative work or root canal therapy.
• Amoxicillin is the first choice for antibiotic prophylaxis, while clindamycin is an alternative for patients with penicillin allergies.
• Ampicillin can be used for non-oral administration, such as intravenous or intramuscular, when oral medications are not an option.
• Antibiotics can have side effects, such as gastrointestinal upset with clindamycin, superinfection with broad-spectrum antibiotics, aplastic anemia with chloramphenicol, and liver damage with tetracycline.
• Drug interactions can occur with antibiotics, such as the cancellation of effects between bactericidal and bacteriostatic drugs, reduced effectiveness of tetracycline with antacids or dairy products, enhanced action of anticoagulants with broad-spectrum antibiotics, and decreased effectiveness of oral contraceptives with antibiotics.
• Antivirals, like acyclovir and valacyclovir, are used to treat herpes infections, while antifungals, like fluconazole and ketoconazole, are used against fungal infections, such as candidiasis.