Drugs

• Drug


  Any substance taken into the body that modifies or affects chemical reactions in the body
• Medicinal drug


  Used to treat the symptoms or causes of a disease, e.g. antibiotics
• Liver


  The primary site for drug metabolism
• Antibiotic

  Chemical substances made by certain fungi or bacteria that affect the working of bacterial cells, either by disrupting their structure or function or by preventing them from reproducing
• Antibiotics are effective against bacteria but not against viruses
• Antibiotics target processes and structures that are specific to bacterial (prokaryotic) cells; as such they do not generally harm animal cells
• How antibiotics work


  1. Disrupting bacterial cell structure or function

  2. Preventing bacterial cell reproduction
• Reasons for antibiotic resistance

  • Overuse and being prescribed when not really necessary
  • Patients failing to complete the fully prescribed course
  • Large scale use of antibiotics in farming to prevent disease when livestock are kept in close quarters, even when animals are not actually sick
• Superbugs


  Bacteria that have become resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics, the most common is MRSA
• Ways individuals can help prevent antibiotic resistance

  • Only taking antibiotics when absolutely essential
  • Ensuring the entire course of antibiotics is completed even if you feel better after a few days