List of general Antibiotics
There was a study which indicated that about 300 million prescriptions for antibiotics are issued every year in the US alone and the wide spread use or abuse of the antibiotics is a serious issue. For example, an antibiotic can seriously deplete the normal intestinal micro flora which can result in vaginal yeast infection in susceptible women. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics can bring about increased incidences of Streptococcal disease in children apart from enhanced drug resistance.
Broad Spectrum Antibiotics: According to a Swiss Study, this class of Antibiotics which act against Gram+ and Gram- bacteria is prone to misuse. Broad Spectrum Antibiotics - specifically the antipseudomonal agents (i.e. cefepime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, meropenem, piperacil lin/tazobactam) plus trovafloxacin were found to be misused in this study1.
The following list shows the generic names of common antibiotics prescribed and available under various trade names in the US. We have broadly classified them under the common 'family' names.
Broad Spectrum Penicillins Amoxicillin
- Ampicillin
- Bacampicillin
- Carbenicillin Indanyl
- Mezlocillin
- Piperacillin
- Ticarcillin
Penicillins and Beta Lactamase Inhibitors
- Amoxicillin-Clavulanic Acid
- Ampicillin-Sulbactam
- Benzylpenicillin
- Cloxacillin
- Dicloxacillin
- Methicillin
- Oxacillin
- Penicillin G
- Penicillin V
- Piperacillin Tazobactam
- Ticarcillin Clavulanic Acid
- Nafcillin
Cephalosporins
- Cephalosporin I Generation Antibiotics
- Cefadroxil
- Cefazolin
- Cephalexin
- Cephalothin
- Cephapirin
- Cephradine
Cephalosporin II Generation Antibiotics
- Cefaclor
- Cefamandol
- Cefonicid
- Cefotetan
- Cefoxitin
- Cefprozil
- Ceftmetazole
- Cefuroxime
- Loracarbef
Cephalosporin III Generation Antibiotics
- Cefdinir
- Ceftibuten
- Cefoperazone
- Cefixime
- Cefotaxime
- Cefpodoxime proxetil
- Ceftazidime
- Ceftizoxime
- Ceftriaxone
Cephalosporin IV Generation Antibiotics
Cefepime
Macrolides and Lincosamines
- Azithromycin
- Clarithromycin
- Clindamycin
- Dirithromycin
- Erythromycin
- Lincomycin
- Troleandomycin
Quinolones and Fluoroquinolones
- Cinoxacin
- Ciprofloxacin
- Enoxacin
- Gatifloxacin
- Grepafloxacin
- Levofloxacin
- Lomefloxacin
- Moxifloxacin
- Nalidixic acid
- Norfloxacin
- Ofloxacin
- Sparfloxacin
- Trovafloxacin
- Oxolinic acid
- Gemifloxacin
- Perfloxacin
Carbepenems
Imipenem-Cilastatin
Meropenem
Monobactams
Aztreonam
Aminoglycosides
- Amikacin
- Gentamicin
- Kanamycin
- Neomycin
- Netilmicin
- Streptomycin
- Tobramycin
- Paromomycin
Glycopeptides
Teicoplanin
Vancomycin
Tetracyclines
- Demeclocycline
- Doxycycline
- Methacycline
- Minocycline
- Oxytetracycline
- Tetracycline
- Chlortetracycline
Sulfonamides
- Mafenide
- Silver Sulfadiazine
- Sulfacetamide
- Sulfadiazine
- Sulfamethoxazole
- Sulfasalazine
- Sulfisoxazole
- Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
- Sulfamethizole
Rifampin
Rifabutin
Rifampin
Rifapentine
Oxazolidonones
Linezolid
Streptogramins
Quinopristin Dalfopristin
Other Antibiotics
- Bacitracin
- Chloramphenicol
- Fosfomycin
- Isoniazid
- Methenamine
- Metronidazol
- Mupirocin
- Nitrofurantoin
- Nitrofurazone
- Novobiocin
- Polymyxin
- Spectinomycin
- Trimethoprim
- Colistin
- Cycloserine
- Capreomycin
- Ethionamide
- Pyrazinamide
- Para-aminosalicyclic acid
- Erythromycin ethylsuccinate
You may find some typical usage instructions, dosage, contra indications and side effects - if any for some of the antibiotics listed above in these pages.
1: www.smw.ch/docs/archive200x/2001/29/smw-09760.html
Antibiotic Resistance
Micro organisms evolve resistance to Antibiotics over a period of time resulting in drug resistance. This may occur due to abuse of Antibiotics by the patients or unwarranted prescription of broad spectrum antibiotics or the permeation of antibiotics through consumption of livestock fed with antibiotics for growth promotion or other non therapeutic reasons.
Drug resistance has started soon after the discovery of Penicillin by Sir. Alexander Fleming in 1929. Certain strains of staphylococci developed resistance to Penicillin after some time. Comparatively newer antibiotics introduced in the middle of 20th century barely managed to keep the race against bacteria under control. As the development of antibiotics is becoming more expensive and not remunerative enough for the drug companies, the pace of development of new antibiotics has drastically come down in the recent times.
Usage of Antibiotics should be restricted to therapeutic use alone. Indiscriminate usage of antibiotics can only enhance the drug resistant strains of bacteria which will affect the choice of treatment. It has been noted that about 70 % of bacterial infections in hospitals are resistant to at least one of the antibiotics commonly used to treat such infections. Staphylococcus aureus or commonly called as Staph aureus or MRSA is one of the pathogens which can infect skin,lungs or blood and is one the major drug resistant bacteria. The drug Methicillin was the drug of choice for some time against this pathogen. When Methicillin resistant Staph Aureus emerged in the hospitals, it was found that many of the infections are resistant to other drugs like - methicillin, tetracycline and erythromycin as well. Finally the only drug left to control MRSA infection was vancomycin until in 2002, another vancomycin resistant strain (VRSA) appeared. The struggle against such infections continue with newer antibiotics like Daptomycin and Linezolid though some hospitals have reported resistance to these antibiotics too.
Inappropriate Use of Antibiotics
Primarily the antibiotics - the group of drugs intended to inhibit or destroy bacteria, should be used only against bacterial infection. Antibiotics are not effective viral infections and most upper respiratory tract infections like influenza or common cold or fungal infections caused by yeast.
Some Infections listed below can be treated usually without antibiotics:
- Influenza (commonly called as flu)
- Common Cold
- Bronchitis - with/without Coughs
- Otitis media Ear Infections
- Many Skin Rashes
Bibliography / Reference
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