3.1.8 Antibiotics and Painkillers

What are antibiotics?

Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacterial pathogens inside the body without damaging body cells. They cannot kill viruses as viruses use body cells to reproduce.

What are painkillers?

Painkillers (such as aspirin) only treat the symptoms of a disease, not the cause.

How can antibiotics be taken?

Antibiotics can be taken as a pill, syrup, or directly into the bloodstream.

Why is the correct antibiotic important?

Different antibiotics are effective against different types of bacteria, so it is important to receive the correct one.

What has been the impact of antibiotics?

Their use has decreased the number of deaths from bacterial diseases.

Give an example of an antibiotic.

Penicillin.

Why are antibiotic-resistant bacteria a concern?

Mutations during reproduction can result in bacteria that are no longer killed by antibiotics, leading to resistant strains.

What happens when bacteria are exposed to antibiotics?

Only the non-resistant bacteria die, while resistant bacteria survive and reproduce, increasing their population.

What does antibiotic resistance mean for treatment?

Antibiotics that were previously effective no longer work.

How can we prevent resistant strains developing?

1. Stop overusing antibiotics (to reduce unnecessary exposure). 2. Always finish courses of antibiotics to kill all bacteria.