Drug resistance is the emerging and most pressing concern of the day. In simple words, Drug resistance suggests the ability of the pathogens (mostly bacteria) to infect and grow even in the presence of an antimicrobial agent used or the ineffectiveness of the drug to target and prevent the infection by any microbe. Many antibiotics and synthetic agents developed to treat various bacterial infections have been rendered useless due to development of resistance. Celebrated classes of antibacterial agents like Tetracycline, Sulphonamide and Aminoglycoside have a limited therapeutic use now.
The most important cause for resistance is the irrational use of these antibacterial agents. The erratic exposure of the microorganisms to antimicrobial agents accelerates their mutation and capacity to acquire resistance to that class of drugs. Cross resistance may occur with the class of drugs having similar mechanism of action or similar in their chemistry to the class to which the microbe is already resistant.
Nowadays, the use of antibiotics has become so common that even for a simple Flu or fever; a heavy dose of antibiotic is prescribed where it actually doesn’t have any role to play. But the presence of this antibiotic gives rise to resistance among any pathogens that might be dormant in the patient’s body. Dealing this crisis is not only the responsibility of the physician but also the pharmacist and the patients themselves.
It is the role of the pharmacist to check and report any irrational prescription of antibiotics to the physician and counsel the patients regarding the seriousness of it. As a responsible citizen of this Earth, every patient must check their prescription, talk to their physician and pharmacist about it and be informed about the drugs they are using.
Do not use any leftover antibiotics or antibiotics without a valid prescription or consultation with the physician. The branches of change grow from us; we can contribute to this cause by simple awareness and communication and prevent any further loss of life.
Mr. Atharva S Kulkarni
Student- Final year B. Pharm
AISSMS College of Pharmacy