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7 out of 10 patients requiring critical care are antibiotic-resistant: Experts

Sep 13, 2024

Lucknow: Seven out of ten patients requiring critical care or ventilator support were found to be antibiotic- resistant.

The information was provided by experts on the eve of World Sepsis Day at King George’s Medical University (KGMU).

The event took place at the department of pulmonary and critical care medicine.

ProfVed Prakash, who addressed the gathering, talked about the serious consequences of antibiotic misuse.

He stated, “Patients coming to KGMU are often antibiotic-resistant due to prior treatments in private medical setups. It is crucial for people to be more cautious and decisive in their use of antibiotics.”

He further stressed that prompt and accurate identification of sepsis is vital for successful treatment and saving lives.

Prof Rajendra Prasad, former head of the respirat01Y department at KGMU, highlighted adverse drug reactions (ADR) and said, “Patients often lack knowledge about the contraindications, dosages, interactions, warnings, and precautions regarding over the counter (OTC) drugs, with a significant portion being antibiotics. This misuse leads to antibiotic resistance and harms patients.”

He added, “I observe serious implications of antibiotic resistance, including skin problems, hypersensitivity, and allergies due to the overdose and indiscriminate use of commonly used pain relievers, antibiotics, and sedatives.”

Experts also noted that the consumption of antibiotics, which are used to treat infections, and nimesulide for pain, often creates complications and proves hazardous.

Prof Avinash Agarwal pointed out that commonly misused antibiotics include Azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Augmentin, Ornidazole, Norfloxacin, Levofloxacin, Metronidazole, Ofloxacin, Amoxicillin, and Doxycycline. These should not be used without a prescription.

Prof Apul Goel, head of the department of urology at KGMU, highlighted the economic impact of sepsis in India, noting that it incurs an annual cost of about Rs 1 lakh crore due to direct medical expenses, including hospitalisation and long-term care, as well as indirect costs.

Source: Economic Times