The Best Medication for Infections

Bacteria are a part of life. They exist all around us, and some are even helpful in keeping us healthy. However, a portion of germs causes harm and adverse health consequences. When they enter the body, they multiply fast, resulting in an adverse reaction in our internal systems. This condition is called an infection.

Learn more about infections, including medication for infections by reading on.

How Infections are Contracted

Bacterial infections are commonly contracted in the following ways:

• Contact: A person can get a bacterial infection by coming in direct contact with affected skin or contaminated surfaces.
• Vector: Bugs, like mosquitos, cockroaches, and fleas, are vector-borne and can spread diseases. For example, an individual can get Lyme disease and Shigellosis from vectors.
• Airborne: You can get an infection through the air from contaminated dust.
• Droplet: Infections can be spread through contaminated droplets of water or mucus.
• Vehicular: This refers to getting an infection through a "vehicle" of transmissions like water or food. For example, you can get gut infections from Salmonella or E.coli that find their way into your food.

Bacterial infections can cause severe health problems if they are untreated. However, in worse cases, where they have already spread to other parts of the body, they can lead to severe complications, including sepsis.

Sepsis is an extreme immunity response against infection and occurs when the bacteria have already triggered a chain reaction throughout the body. Without immediate treatment, it can lead to organ failure, tissue damage, and even death. For this reason, people who have bacterial infections must take medication to avoid harm.

How Are Bacterial Infections Treated

If a person's immune system is strong enough, bacterial infections can go away on their own. However, when treatment is needed, healthcare providers use antibiotics prescribed as:

• Pills (oral medication)
• IV medication
• Cream
• Ointment
• Eye drops

List of Some of the Best Medications for Infections

Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria or make it hard for them to multiply. They come in varying types, but most can be categorized into the following groups:

• Penicillins
• Cephalosporins
• Aminoglycosides
• Tetracyclines
• Macrolides

Penicillins

Penicillin is a class of antibiotics that is effective against many infections, making it one of the most commonly used antibiotics globally. Drugs in this category work by indirectly bursting bacterial cell walls. The most common medication for infections in the penicillin class include:

Cephalosporins

Cephalosporin is another class of antibiotics grouped into five categories based on their coverage against bacteria and temporal discovery. Like penicillin, they attack the bacteria's cell walls to prevent them from cross-linking and multiplying. As a result, Cephalosporin is the best medication for infections of the throat, ear, and urinary tract. Common drugs in this class include the following:

Aminoglycosides

Aminoglycosides are among the first antibiotics that were introduced in routine clinical use. These drugs are derived from actinomycetes which act through the inhibition of protein synthesis. They are often given intravenously, but ophthalmic and inhaled are also available.

Tetracyclines

Tetracyclines are antimicrobials used to manage and treat a broad spectrum of infectious diseases. The administration is usually via the oral route, but topical, intramuscular, and intravenous forms exist. This medication for infections is used in both human and veterinary medicine.

Macrolides

Macrolides are a category of antibiotics that are typically used to treat bacterial infections on the skin. They are naturally occurring compounds that inhibit bacterial protein synthesis, preventing bacteria's spread effectively. Frequently prescribed macrolides are:

Why Is It Important To Take Antibiotics Only When Needed?

Antibiotics are highly effective in killing the bacteria that is causing the infection. However, it's essential to take these drugs only when needed. This is because medications can contribute to antibiotic resistance every time they are used, which is currently one of the most urgent threats to public health.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when the bacteria develop an immunity to the drugs, preventing the medicine from killing them. As a result, the germs continue to multiply in the body leading to severe health repercussions. Therefore, medical professionals only prescribe antibiotics for severe conditions like pneumonia and sepsis to combat the threat of antibiotic resistance.

Patients must also stick to their prescriptions and take their medication exactly as the doctor instructed. Stopping too early might cause the remaining bacteria to remultiply while overusing the drugs lead to antibiotic resistance.

In addition, be sure to ask your physician what to do if you miss a dose. You may be able to take the forgotten tablet as soon as you remember, or you may need to wait until your next dose. Always ask your healthcare provider to determine the best medication for infections to ensure you don't develop side effects on your journey to full recovery.

How to Save on Medication for Infections

While medication is usually necessary to treat infections, it can become costly if you are paying out-of-pocket. Fortunately, prescription discount cards exist for that reason. Prescription discount cards, like the one from Inside Rx, can help you save money on your prescription medication costs.

Inside Rx is free to use and is accepted at nearly 60,000 pharmacies in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. You can download your unique savings card by clicking here, or by downloading the mobile app. You can save up to 80% on brand and generic medications when using the Inside Rx card.

To see if Inside Rx discounts your medication for infections, head to InsideRx.com and type your medication name in the search bar. Then, enter your zip code and quickly compare prices at pharmacies nearest you! When you head to the pharmacy to pick up your prescription, just show the pharmacist your Inside Rx card at checkout to get the discounted price.

Savings may vary and there are some discount restrictions, so to learn more about Inside Rx visit the FAQ page, Happy saving!

Sources:

• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325040#complications
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554560/
• https://www.drugs.com/article/antibiotics.html#penicillins
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551517/
• https://www.healthline.com/health/cephalosporins#generation-list
• https://www.uptodate.com/contents/aminoglycosides
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4888811/
• https://www.drugs.com/drug-class/tetracyclines.html
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549905/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551495/
• https://www.cdc.gov/patient-safety/campaigns/