Antibiotics (anti - against, biostikos - viable) - originally natural now also synthetic substances that show activity against bacteria, killing or inhibiting their growth and division. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and are also used prophylactically, e.g. before surgery and in the case of bacterial endocarditis.

When to take antibiotics?

It is important to remember that the effectiveness of antibiotics is very high, but their inappropriate use can have the opposite effect - it can make bacteria resistant to them. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections.

The most responsible decision before prescribing an antibiotic is to carry out a culture of the patient's material (e.g. blood, urine, throat swab) to determine which bacterium is responsible for the infection and its sensitivity to antibiotics.

On the basis of the antibiogram, the most appropriate antibiotic choice can be made. There are cases in which the doctor, on the basis of the patient's symptoms and the current epidemiological situation, is able to determine the cause of the infection and answer the question as to whether he is dealing with a bacterial, fungal or viral infection.

If a viral infection is established, an antibiotic is not necessary. If the doctor decides to treat the patient with an antibiotic without the result of the microbiological examination of the patient's material, i.e. without establishing the cause of the infection and the antibiotic susceptibility of the aetiological agent, we can speak of so-called empirical therapy.

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When the microorganism that causes the infection and its antibiotic sensitivity are known, we then speak of targeted treatment, which is the most effective. It is important to remember that an antibiotic, in addition to eliminating pathogenic bacteria, also destroys the microorganisms that constitute the natural (physiological) flora. These protect humans from various infections with potentially pathogenic bacteria.