Abuse of antibiotics may prolong the time of disease ”.

– el antibiotic resistance is due to el bad implementation of the treatment or to abuse in their consumption

-the European day for the prudent use of antibiotics is raising awareness of the dangers to public health of the antibiotic resistance

Vitoria-Gasteiz, November 2011- use antibiotics responsibly under the medical indications remains a combination hard to bear for many patients in our country according to Leyre Salazarresponsible for the pharmaceutical area of the clinic USP La Esperanza, only antibiotics should take prescription and its management must be that indicated by the physician, otherwise, we would be talking about self-medication that eventually would lead to a resistance to the antibiotic and produce negative effects in the treatment of future diseases ”.

According to a European study picked up by the Spanish medicines agency Spain lies between countries with a higher degree of self-medication with antibiotics in Europe and gathering them at home ”, reality resulting in a bacterial resistance of the body that would lead to a lengthening of the time of the illness of the patient.

An antibiotic resistance occurs when the antibiotic is no longer effective against the bacteria that is designed, situation caused mainly by the poor implementation of scheduled treatment or an abuse of antibiotics ”, as it is the case of their use to treat diseases that do not require their use, as the influenza-like processes.

In this sense, will be infections for which we need more doses, or another more powerful antibiotic to combat them. This occurs much urine infections, not finished the treatment because we are better or started to take the antibiotic on our own when we have the first symptoms, leading to the loss of its effectiveness ”, confirms Salazar.

Responsible for pharmacy of USP La Esperanza believes that we are becoming more aware of this problem, however, an effective health education in the responsible use of medicines is very necessary.

Wise antibiotic use

Aiming to raise awareness about the importance of making good use of antibiotics and raise awareness of the dangers to public health posed by the resistance to antibiotics, the European Parliament adopted each November 18 declared European day for the prudent use of antibiotics.

So that the population begins to raise awareness about this problem, Salazar considers that there are two lines of work: on the one hand are the measures that follow patients: must see a doctor for a diagnosis of the disease, treatment and comply with patterns of treatment according to medical indications. If you have any doubt once begun treatment, call the pharmacist ”.

On the other hand are measures that medical personnel must develop: the doctor must explain to the patient what disease suffers from, what will be the treatment, how they should follow him and make sure that the patient has understood ”, said Salazar.

On the USP hospital group

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Madrid, USP hospital is the first hospital private group in the Spanish market. USP hospital now boasts a network of 12 hospitals and 23 health centres which assist 4,000 doctors that attend each year more than two million patients. In addition, at the beginning of 2012 it is expected that enters into operation a new Hospital USP La Bahía in the Campo de Gibraltar.