Taking amoxicillin for colds and fevers, using azithromycin for children's coughs, stopping medication when symptoms improve... These seemingly routine medication procedures are actually giving "superbugs" an opportunity to take advantage! November 18th to 24th is World Awareness Week for Enhancing Antimicrobial Resistance. On the 20th, the Pharmacy Department of the Pearl River Hospital, in conjunction with the Infection Management Department, the Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Department, the Pediatric General Internal Medicine Department, and the Emergency Department, carried out a multidisciplinary free clinic and scientific popularization of rational drug use. La Lei, deputy director of the Pharmacy Department of the hospital, pointed out that in Internet hospitals and offline pharmacy clinics, many people had a bias in their understanding of antibiotics. Call on the public to uphold the bottom line of "precision medicine" and refuse the abuse of antibiotics. The harm of overuse of antibiotics is far beyond imagination: on the one hand, frequent use can accelerate bacterial evolution and give rise to "superbugs". Even the most advanced form of vancomycin may develop resistance, ultimately leading to infections with no available drugs, "said Lalei. On the other hand, overuse of antibiotics can kill beneficial bacteria in the human gut" regardless of friend or foe, "causing health problems such as intestinal disorders and allergies. In fact, in recent years, in order to curb microbial resistance, China has strictly controlled the use of antibiotics, issued a series of documents, and taken special rectification measures, achieving significant results. According to data from the National Antimicrobial Clinical Application Monitoring Network, from 2011 to 2023, the usage rate of antibiotics among hospitalized patients decreased from 59.4% to 33.4%, and the usage rate of antibiotics among outpatient patients decreased from 16.2% to 7.1%. However, the phenomenon of antibiotic abuse still exists among citizens. It is worrying that the threshold for antibiotic online shopping is extremely low. The reporter tested on a certain food delivery platform and found that purchasing azithromycin only requires supplementing prescription information, and the order can be successfully placed within 1 minute, which has opened a loophole for misuse and abuse. Chen Jianfeng, chief physician of pediatrics of the Pearl River Hospital, also revealed that there have been cases of drug resistance in children in clinical practice: "Previously, azithromycin had a good effect on mycoplasma pneumonia, but now some children have no effect, and may be infected with drug-resistant bacteria, which is closely related to the abuse of antibiotics." There are three major misconceptions in drug use. Many citizens have three major misconceptions when using antibiotics. Misconception 1: Antibiotics are the miracle drug for reducing fever, and must be taken for colds and fevers. During the high incidence period of winter flu, many people want to rely on antibiotics to "suppress" their fever. Lalei emphasized that 80% of common colds are caused by viruses, and antibiotics are completely ineffective against viruses. They not only cannot reduce fever, but also increase the risk of drug resistance and prolong the course of the disease. Experts suggest that the correct approach is to prioritize using acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce fever when the body temperature exceeds 38.5 ℃. If there is suspicion of bacterial infection (such as yellow phlegm, high fever that persists for more than 3 days, etc.), a doctor's diagnosis is necessary before using antibiotics. Misconception 2: Repeated use of a single prescription can cure all diseases with azithromycin. Last time I took azithromycin for bronchitis, but this time I still took it for coughing "- this practice is particularly common among parents. But Lalei pointed out that the cause of each infection may be different, and azithromycin is only effective against specific pathogens such as mycoplasma, and is ineffective against influenza virus and common virus infections. More importantly, in recent years, bacterial resistance to azithromycin has continued to rise, and this drug is no longer the preferred choice for most respiratory infections. Childhood bronchitis is often caused by viral infections, and blindly using antibiotics will only increase the risk of drug resistance. Misconception 3: "Three times a day" means taking medication with three meals and stopping once symptoms improve. Many people simplify "once every 8 hours" to "eat after three meals in the morning, afternoon, and evening", and even stop taking medication without authorization when symptoms have slightly improved. Lalei explained that time-dependent antibiotics such as penicillin and cephalosporins need to be taken every 8 hours to maintain stable blood drug concentrations. Improper intervals can lead to treatment failure or resistance; Insufficient treatment duration (usually 7-14 days) can lead to the resurgence of bacteria that have not been cleared, accelerating the development of drug resistance. Citizens should not blindly shop online. Antibiotics are prescription drugs that need to be diagnosed by doctors or pharmacists before use. Citizens should not blindly shop online. Lalei pointed out that "the use of antibiotics should strictly follow the dosage, interval time, and complete the prescribed course of treatment. Even if the symptoms improve, the medication should not be stopped without authorization. During the medication period, attention should be paid to observation. If there are side effects such as diarrhea and rash, mild diarrhea can be supplemented with water and electrolytes, and rash should be treated promptly." It is worth noting that pregnant women, children, and those with liver and kidney dysfunction must use antibiotics under professional guidance to avoid contraindications. (New Society)