• Cardiovascular

    Consumer Health: Understanding antibiotic resistance

a middle-aged man reading a prescription bottle label in front of his open bathroom medicine cabinet

Are you misusing antibiotics?
The World Health Organization's World Antibiotic Awareness Week is Nov. 18–24, which make this a good time to learn more about the use — and misuse — of antibiotics. Did you know that antibiotics can't treat colds, the flu and most sore throats? Or that the overuse and misuse of antibiotics are key factors contributing to antibiotic resistance? This is when an antibiotic no longer has an effect on a certain strain of bacteria. For many years, the introduction of new antibiotics outpaced the development of antibiotic resistance. In recent years, however, the pace of medication resistance has contributed to an increasing number of health care problems. Find out more about the correct use of antibiotics, and the role health care providers and patients play in antibiotic stewardship.

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