Many people think that there is no sense in prescribing antibiotics for SARS, as antibiotics are antibacterial drugs and do not kill viruses. So why are they still prescribed? Let’s figure it out together with Canadian Health&Care Mall.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a common infectious disease that is transmitted by airborne droplets or by unwashed hands, objects, things. The name of an acute respiratory viral infection speaks for itself: the infection is caused by pneumotrophic viruses, which mostly damage the respiratory system.
Antibiotic treatment for SARS
If a disease is caused by a viral infection, it is more logical to take antiviral drugs at the first symptoms of a cold, carry out detoxification and symptomatic treatment according to the indications. Antibiotic therapy is usually used about a week after the detection of a cold, if the treatment of the virus is considered ineffective, the patient’s condition worsens or remains unchanged.
In addition, sometimes a person develops an additional bacterial pathology against the background of a decrease in immunity, provoked by an acute respiratory viral infection. This is the case to use antibiotic to treat SARS. Antibiotics are preparations of complex and multifaceted action, their administration is carried out with certain precautions: exact antibiotics dosage and time of intake, considering sensitivity of bacterial flora and simultaneous application of some antifungal and immunomodulating preparations. Therefore, the best decision when choosing an antibiotic for SARS is a consultation of a physician-therapist or infectious disease specialist, who will advise you most effective weapon against SARS. You can buy antibiotics and viral agents at Canadian Health&Care Mall on beneficial terms: Amoxicillin, Zithromax, Cipro, Tetracycline and others!
Can antibiotics be used for SARS?
If you notice painful lymph nodes and sore throat, glandular swelling, ear swelling, a prolonged impassive purulent runny nose, wheezing in the lungs, high temperature (more than three days) during a few days after the SARS development, use of antibiotics in such cases is justified.
To ensure that the antibiotics produce the expected effect, they should be selected correctly: a spectrum of action, localization, dosage and duration of the course).
To achieve positive results, to cure the disease and not to harm the body, it is necessary to follow the general rules of using antibiotics:
- Antibiotics should be prescribed to treat a bacterial infection;
- Follow the certain antibiotics dosage: if the doctor prescribed an antibiotic 5 times a day, then you should take it 5 times a day. If you reduce the dosage and change the treatment regimen, there is a risk of development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics;
- You should not stop taking antibiotics after the first signs of relief, the course should be completed: the bacteria should completely die. Without destroying them completely, you run the risk of falling ill again or getting a chronic form of the disease;
- During treatment with antibiotics, you should take measures to prevent dysbacteriosis, as these drugs can adversely affect not only the pathogenic microflora, but also the healthy intestinal one: doctors recommend taking antifungal agents and preparations that support the beneficial microflora in the body;
- To prevent toxic effects of antibiotics, you should drink a sufficient amount of liquid, including fermented milk products;
- Eat vitamins, drink juices, whenever possible, spend time in the fresh air. See more rules of taking antibiotics without harm to health.
When do doctors prescribe antibiotics for SARS?
There are cases of prescribing antibiotics for acute viral infections. Of course, you should not take antibacterial drugs if not needed. But there are some justified cases for using antibiotics:
- Chronic, often exacerbated inflammation of the middle ear;
- Small children with deficiency of body weight, lack of calcium and vitamin D, weakened immunity, anomalies of the body functioning;
- Symptoms of chronic weakness of the body’s defense system (frequent inflammatory processes, colds, unmotivated high temperature, purulent processes, fungal infections, persistent digestive system disorders, malignant neoplasms, AIDS, congenital anomalies of immunity, autoimmune pathology).
Also, antibiotic treatment for SARS is effective in certain complications:
- Purulent infection (sinusitis, lesions of lymph nodes, abscesses, phlegmon, bacterial lesion of the throat and respiratory system);
- Bacterial angina (purulent, with streptococcal or anaerobic infection);
- Background ear inflammation;
- Inflammatory process in the lungs of any etiology.
- Often, antibiotics from Canadian Health&Care Mall are prescribed to the weakened patient as a preventive agent to fight complications.
What antibiotics are used to treat SARS?
Antibiotics, which are usually prescribed for SARS, belong to the following groups:
- Penicillin series – oxacillin, ampicillin sodium salt, ampiox – antibacterial drugs, which have a wide bacteriostatic and bactericidal action, which are rapidly absorbed and kill pneumococcal, meningococcal, streptococcal infections;
- Cephalosporin series – cephaloridine, cephalexin, cefazolin, cefatrexil – low-toxic antibiotics, which kill gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, inhibit even penicillin-resistant strains;
- Tetracycline series – tetracycline hydrochloride, morphocycline, doxycycline, which inhibit the synthesis of proteins in a microbial cell;
- Aminoglycosides – gentamicin, amikacin – popular antibiotics for severe infections;
- Macrolide antibiotics – erythromycin, azithromycin – inhibit the multiplication of bacteria;
- Other groups of antibiotics – lincomycin, rifampicin.
The choice of an antibiotic is based on the spectrum of its action, the degree of influence on the bacterial cell. Before taking medications, carefully read the instructions and consult a doctor.
Antibiotics for adults with SARS
Antibiotics are usually not prescribed from the first days of the disease. SARS treatment is started with antiviral drugs (rimantadine, zanamivir).
Antibiotic therapy in adults is used in the following cases:
- Prolonged (more than three days) high body temperature;
- Symptoms of general intoxication of the body (headache, dizziness, nausea, cyanosis);
- Wheezing, difficulty breathing;
- Increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR);
- Increased number of leukocytes in the blood;
- Visible microbial damage (phlegmon, abscess, furuncle, purulent sinusitis);
- Absence of positive dynamics of the disease development (pathological symptoms progress despite treatment);
- Old age and a weakened immune system of the body.
Antibiotics for children with SARS
Many parents hurry to buy antibiotics for children at the first symptoms of a cold without any reason. Do not hurry to start antibiotic therapy, especially when it comes to children.
Here are some principles that prescribe antibiotics for children with SARS:
- Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial etiology of the children’s pathological condition;
- Using antibiotics with a low level of toxicity;
- Many antibacterial drugs have their age limitation;
- Antibiotics dosage is based on total body weight of the child.
Uncomplicated forms of acute respiratory viral infection usually do not require the use of antibiotics from Canadian Health&Care Mall. They are prescribed with concomitant inflammation of the maxillary sinuses of the nose, tonsillitis, otitis, signs of pneumonia. Read also about using antibiotics during pregnancy.