What Are Broad Spectrum Antibiotics

Broad spectrum antibiotics (BSAs) are common and useful types of medication that millions of people use every year.  Many of these are prescription only, and are used to fight serious illnesses and infections caused by bacteria.  They treat both gram negative and gram positive bacteria.  These types of medications help kill the ill cells and stop the bacteria from multiplying which causes infections to spread and worsen. But some are at the center of litigation after patients who suffered severe injury from the drugs filed Levaquin lawsuits seeking justice.

These types of medications are useful in many ways.  These medications can be given before identification of the bacteria in a severe condition can be identified.  Time is of the essence in these types of situations, and antibiotics can be readily administered to help stop the infection.  Also, if the bacteria have not responded to other antibiotics, BSAs may be used instead to fight the stubborn bacteria.  Studies show that these antibiotics are better at fighting stubborn bacteria rather than other antibiotics which can be ineffective.  If the infection has progressed into a super-infection, antibiotics can help by killing a wide range of bacteria that may be causing the progression of the illness.  They are stronger and a more potent source of medicine that can treat bacterial infections.

Broad spectrum antibiotics provide many different advantages to the user.  First, these antibiotics cover a wide range of bacteria, and are a reliable and popular source that many doctors will use and prescribe to their patients.  These antibiotics are also more effective in treatment than narrow antibiotics.  They can be used to start treatment before identification of the pathogens has occurred.  This means that therapy doesn’t have to be delayed because identification hasn’t occurred, the patient can simply start using BSAs to lower the risk of complications and progression of the illness.

While these medications have some great advantages, there are some disadvantages as well.  If small children under the age of one receive antibiotics, they have a greater chance of developing asthma as a child.  Also, there are specific types of bacteria that have been known to develop a resistance to antibiotics which can make treatment ineffective.  If this occurs, treatment must be delayed while physicians wait for antibiogram results to determine what types of bacteria are present and what the next step will be. Some antibiotics can cause deadly side effects, including Levaquin, which has been linked to aortic aneurysm and dissection. Contact a Levaquin attorney to learn more about these issues.

These types of antibiotics are a prevalent force on the medication market today.  Medications such as Amoxicillin, Levofloxacin, Streptomycin, Penicillin, and Cephalexin are all commonly prescribed antibiotics. They can be used to combat infections such as bronchitis, pneumonia, fever, and urinary tract infections as well as bacterial infections.  Antibiotics are usually prescribed by a doctor. Make sure to follow the recommended dosage and instructions given.  Do not try to take these medications on your own, as bacteria resistance and other side effects may occur.