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What antibiotics for colds are effective for adults, children: list and names

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 10.08.2022
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Antibiotics for colds are prescribed by a doctor in the case when the human body can not independently cope with the infection.

Usually dangerous signals of attack by malignant bacteria is a rise in body temperature to more than 38 ° C, as well as a runny nose, reddened throat and other symptoms that often accompany a cold: mucosal inflammation, sore throat, shortness of breath, dry cough, headache, etc. . Antibacterial drugs will help to cope with bacteria, but appoint their reception should be exclusively a medical specialist, because uncontrolled self-medication with antibiotics can adversely affect human health.

Treatment of colds with antibiotics

Antibiotics for colds are necessary in extreme cases, when immunity does not cope with the pathogens that attacked the human body. Many of us, at the first symptoms of a cold, are wondering what antibiotic to take, perceiving it as a miracle cure for all diseases. However, this is a profound misconception, since antiviral drugs are indicated for the treatment of influenza and acute respiratory diseases, and only if the patient's condition is aggravated and the bacterial infection "connected", the correctly selected antibiotic will help. Thus, it is unacceptable to drink an antibiotic at the first sign of a cold!

Treatment of the common cold with antibiotics should be rational, and for this it is necessary to consult an experienced doctor who will determine the severity of the patient's condition and prescribe the antibacterial drug that will be most effective in a particular case.

Colds (ARVI) can be considered a rather insidious disease, which manifests itself regardless of age, state of human health, as well as weather conditions. Acute respiratory disease is one of the most common diseases worldwide and without complications lasts an average of a week. Usually adults suffer from a cold on average two or three times a year. To date, physicians have more than two hundred viruses that cause inflammation of the respiratory system. It should be noted that the common cold refers to infectious diseases - it can be transmitted by airborne droplets and often affects bronchi, trachea, lungs. The viral infection lives longer in mucus than in air or a dry place. In order to start treatment on time, one should objectively assess the patient's condition. The main symptoms of a cold are:

  • inflammation of the lymph nodes, which manifests itself in the form of seals on the back of the neck, behind the ears, under the lower jaw, when pressed, the patient has painful sensations;
  • abundant discharge of mucus from the nose (runny nose), stuffy nose, and unusual dryness of its mucosa;
  • sore throat, dry cough, hoarse voice;
  • redness of the eyes and lacrimation;
  • increase in body temperature from 37 to 38.5 ° C;
  • indigestion, nausea and vomiting (with rotavirus damage to the body).

The cold never runs asymptomatically, therefore at the first signs of its development it is necessary to consult a doctor to prevent possible complications in time.

For the treatment of a cold, an accurate diagnosis is needed, which will allow you to choose the optimal medicine, i.e. Antibiotic. Each group of antibacterial drugs is designed to treat a particular type of bacteria, so an antibiotic is prescribed depending on the lesion. For example, with inflammation of the respiratory tract, it is necessary to choose a drug that effectively fights bacteria that cause inflammatory processes in the respiratory organs: for example, Amoxiclav, Amoxicillin, Augmentin (ie antibiotics of the penicillin group). With various respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia, it is necessary to take into account that they are caused by bacteria, most of which are very resistant to penicillin. For this reason, it is best to use Levofloxacin or Avelox to treat this disease. Antibiotics group cephalosporins (Supraks, Zinnat, Zinatsef) will help cure bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, and macrolides (Sumamed, Hemomycin) cope with atypical pneumonia, which cause chlamydia and mycoplasma.

Treatment for a cold with antibiotics should depend on the category of the disease. In ARVI, first of all, it is necessary to use antiviral drugs, t. They purposefully influence the immunity, strengthening it and helping to cope with the virus attack. Antibiotics with this diagnosis are useless, and this is contraindicated by doctors. The earlier treatment of acute respiratory viral infection with an effective antiviral drug began, the more likely it is to finish it. However, if the cold is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics should not be neglected. In this case, it is very important to pay attention in time to the condition of your own organism and to find out the exact cause of the onset of the cold in order to choose the most optimal antibacterial drug. After all, antibiotics should be treated very seriously, because they can not only help, but also harm in case of wrong choice. So, it is necessary to clearly define the limits that determine when antibiotics can be prescribed, and in which cases it is impossible. In our time, indications for antibiotic therapy are:

  • purulent tonsillitis (sore throat);
  • laryngotracheitis;
  • purulent otitis (inflammation of the middle ear);
  • suppurative sinusitis (purulent frontitis or sinusitis);
  • purulent lymphadenitis;
  • pneumonia, pneumonia.

What antibiotics to drink for a cold?

Antibiotics for colds should be used according to the doctor's recommendations in those cases when the patient's condition indicates the development of complications, such as tonsillitis, purulent sinusitis, pneumonia. However, first of all, with a cold, you need to use proven alternatives and drink antiviral drugs, the action of which is directed to the destruction of a viral infection. Do not resort to antibiotics if the cause of the disease is not established. It is necessary to weigh all the factors "for" and "against" the intake of antibacterial drugs, taking into account their side effects and possible complications.

What antibiotics to drink with a cold, only the doctor knows, who will determine the degree and type of complications caused by a cold, and then prescribe the antibiotic of the corresponding group:

  • Penicillins (Augmentin, Ampicillin, etc.) have a pronounced bactericidal effect and are effective in the treatment of bacterial infections and severe forms of ENT diseases (angina, purulent otitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, etc.). The action of these antibacterial drugs is aimed at destroying the walls of bacteria, which causes their death. A positive feature of penicillins is their low level of toxicity, so they have found wide application in pediatrics.
  • Cephalosporins have an active bactericidal action aimed at destroying the bacterial cell membrane. Usually antibiotics of this group are prescribed for the treatment of pleurisy, bronchitis, pneumonia and are injected (intravenously or intramuscularly), only cephalexins are taken orally. They cause less allergic reactions than penicillins, but in rare cases, there are allergic manifestations, as well as disruption of the kidneys.
  • Macrolides (azalides and ketolides) have an active bacteriostatic effect and are effective in treating atypical pneumonia. The first macrolide was Erythromycin, which was used by patients with an allergic reaction to penicillins.
  • Fluoroquinolones (Levofloxacin, etc.) are used to kill gram-negative bacteria (mycoplasma, pneumococcus, chlamydia, E. Coli). Quickly penetrating the cells, they hit the microbes that are there. Today they are the most nontoxic antibacterial drugs that do not cause allergies and are safe to use.

To find out what antibiotics to drink in case of a cold in this or that case, you should consult a medical specialist. For example, for the treatment of various infectious and inflammatory diseases in our time often prescribed drug Flemoxin Solutab, containing amoxicillin. In bronchitis, pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis and otitis, pneumonia and a number of other infectious and inflammatory diseases, Suprax can be prescribed, which should be taken in accordance with the doctor's recommendations, since In the case of uncontrolled treatment of the common cold, this drug may cause adverse reactions in the form of a violation of the intestinal microflora. This can lead to the development of severe diarrhea or pseudomembranous colitis. An effective antimicrobial is Levomycetin, which is used for infectious diseases. Dosage of the drug and the duration of treatment, as in other cases, should be strictly established by the attending physician.

A good antibiotic for colds

Antibiotics for colds should be used if after the administration of antiviral drugs in the early days of the disease there was no improvement, and especially - when the patient's condition worsened: this means that, in addition to viruses, the body was attacked by bacteria. Such drugs are good "helpers" in ridding the human body of toxins and all sorts of pathogenic microbes, but the choice of antibiotic in this or that case remains with the doctor, tk. Must correspond to the indications and the course of a particular disease. The fact that an insufficiently strong antibacterial drug can not cope fully with complications caused by a cold or flu, and the antibiotic of a "powerful" action can damage the immune system of the body.

The beginning of the use of antibiotics in medical practice dates back to 1928 and is associated with the name of the Englishman Fleming. It was he who discovered the substance "penicillin", capable of leading to the death of many microbes and bacteria, and thereby made a real revolution in medicine, tk. Since then, many previously fatal diseases have become curable: scarlet fever, pneumonia, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and the like. During the Second World War, thanks to antibiotics, doctors managed to save the lives of millions of wounded people. To this day, these faithful "helpers" help doctors fight for the health of many patients.

A good antibiotic for a cold is a drug that is chosen in accordance with the type and course of the disease. Treatment with antibiotics should be done carefully, after consulting with a doctor who will choose the optimal drug from the four main classes of antibiotics of different action, which have proven effective in treating various complications caused by bacterial infections. These classes include: penicillins (Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Amoxiclav, Augmentin, etc.); macrolides (Azithromycin, etc.): fluoroquinolones (levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, etc.); cephalosporins (Cefixime, Cefuroxime, Suprax, etc.).

Before you start taking any medications, it is advisable to try to cope with a mild cold, using the methods and recipes of alternative medicine. For example, make inhalations, foot baths, put a compress or mustard plasters. It is necessary to increase the volume of consumed liquid, and also to expand the diet with natural vitamins, i.e. Fresh fruits and vegetables. At the first signs of worsening with a cold, you should immediately go to the hospital to prevent the development of complications. In the case when a bacterial infection attacks the body, it becomes necessary to urgently "connect" the antibiotic, because in this situation, in a literal sense, it is about saving a patient's life. The patient should understand that only the attending physician can prescribe an antibacterial drug, and at the same time it is necessary to strictly observe the indicated dosage, as well as the intervals of admission. Self-medication can lead to exposure to human health of significant danger.

Antibiotics for colds can have a number of negative consequences, especially when self-medication is chosen incorrectly. Among such side effects, allergy, GI disorders, dysbacteriosis, and depression of the immune system are most common.

It should also be remembered that it is not recommended to take an antibiotic for more than 5 consecutive days, but a reduction in the period of antibiotic treatment can lead to the fact that the infection will not be eliminated from the body, and this, in turn, will cause complications in the form of malfunctions in the heart and kidneys. If after three days the patient does not feel relief of his condition, it is necessary to ask the doctor about changing the drug to another, more effective. It should also be cautious about combining other drugs with antibiotics, in such cases it is necessary to follow the recommendations of the doctor. In no case should you take an antibiotic, the expiration date of which has expired!

A good antibiotic for colds must give positive results within three days: the patient will feel better, he will have an appetite, and unpleasant symptoms will disappear.

When treating antibiotics, it is important to take care of reducing their negative effects on the body. To this end, the doctor should assign probiotics to the patient - drugs that normalize the intestinal microflora and thereby prevent the development of dysbiosis, strengthen immunity, favorably affect the work of internal organs, reducing the possibility of side effects and complications.

trusted-source[9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14]

Antibiotics for colds for children

Antibiotics for colds should be given with extreme caution to children. Such treatment should be appointed by the attending physician, to which you need to seek advice immediately after the first signs of the disease - the occurrence of a cold in the child, cough, fever. Usually, the temperature above 38.5 ° C indicates that the immunity of the child tries to get rid of the virus by itself, in this case the doctor prescribes antipyretic agents. If, after 3-5 days, the baby's state of health does not improve, and the temperature is still high, it is recommended to start taking the appropriate antibiotic, but only strictly according to the pediatrician and confirming the bacterial nature of the disease.

Antibiotics for colds for children are a serious test for a growing organism, so they should not be used immediately after the onset of symptoms of the disease. If parents believe that taking a "powerful" antibiotic is the only effective method for treating ARVI or ARI is a deep delusion! The effect of antibacterial drugs on the children's body without a special reason can be very negative, and sometimes even devastating. Not to mention the use of antibiotics to treat babies, which in itself is blasphemous. Colds should be treated with antiviral drugs, the result of which usually appears not immediately, but after a 3-5-day period. However, the febrile process in children, which is most often caused by infections of the respiratory tract of the viral type, can fluctuate within 3-7 days, and sometimes even more. It should not be mistaken to believe that antibiotics are an alternative to antitussive drugs, because Cough for a cold is a protective reaction of the child's organism, which usually lasts the last time after the disappearance of the remaining symptoms of the disease. The question of prescribing the treatment of a child with antibiotics is decided by an experienced pediatrician who will assess the condition of the baby and only in case of emergency will choose the optimal drug. Parents should carefully follow all the recommendations of the doctor, including about the method of taking and dosing an antibacterial drug. It is also important not to discontinue the treatment of the child before the due date.

Some antibiotics for colds for children are strictly prohibited. First and foremost, these drugs are so called. Tetracycline group (Tetracycline, Doxycycline, Minocycline, etc.), which are capable of disrupting the formation of a tooth enamel in a baby, as well as antibacterial preparations of fluorinated quinolones having in their names the ending "-floxacin" (eg, Ofloxacin, Pefloxacin), which are negative affect the formation of articular cartilage in the child. In pediatrics, also taking Levomycetin, whose action is directed at the development of aplastic anemia (the process of oppression of hematopoiesis), and can lead to a fatal outcome.

Among antibacterial drugs used in pediatrics, you can note Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Levofloxacin, Flemoxin Solutab, Mossimak, Zinnat, Avelox, Amoxiclav and the like. The choice of a particular medicine depends entirely on the experience and professionalism of the pediatrician who must determine which antibiotic will be the best assistant and will benefit in treating complications after a cold in each case.

So, antibiotics for colds should be used to treat children only in cases of acute need. This will not lead to the desired recovery, but only exacerbate the situation, because the effect of an antibacterial drug can become destructive to the immunity of the baby, which will increase the risk of infection return.

trusted-source[15], [16], [17], [18]

Names of antibiotics for colds

Antibiotics for colds should be selected especially carefully, without resorting to self-medication, and after consulting a doctor who will determine the degree of complications and appoint the most effective remedy. In addition, when taking antibiotics should follow these recommendations:

  • in the treatment should be used only one, the most effective drug from a certain group;
  • if after the first reception of the antibiotic after two days the patient's condition has not improved and the temperature has not decreased, there may be a need to change the drug;
  • It is impossible to combine the antibiotic with antipyretic drugs, because they "lubricate" its effect;
  • the period of antibiotic treatment should be at least 5 days, or even more. It is this length of treatment that allows the drug to fully cope with the causative agent of the infection;
  • In severe cold and complications, the patient should immediately be hospitalized, and antibiotic therapy should be carried out under the supervision of the attending physician.

The names of antibiotics for colds (at least a few of them) are useful to everyone, because, in this way, a person will have at least some idea of the drug that the doctor will appoint. Antibiotics have traditionally been divided into several classes:

  • penicillins,
  • macrolides,
  • fluoroquinolones,
  • cephalosporins.

The penicillin class includes such names of antibiotics as Ampicillinum, Augmentin, Amoxicillinum, Amoxiclav, and others.

The most common names for the class of macrolides are Erythromycin, Azithromycin, etc. (such drugs are considered to be the most powerful in the treatment of bacterial infection). The antibiotics of the fluoroquinolone class include levofloxacin and moxifloxacin, and to the class of cephalosporins - Aksetil, Cefixim (Supraks), Cefuroxime axetil and others.

The main goal in the treatment of various infectious complications caused by a cold is to provide the body with effective care aimed at the fastest release of pathogens and toxic substances. For treatment to give a quick positive result, you need to make the right choice of antibiotic, and this can only be done by an experienced doctor.

It should be remembered that antibiotics for colds are not so harmless as it may seem, they can cause a number of side effects, especially if they are not used in those cases. For example, many do not understand or simply do not know that only an antiviral drug can cope with a viral infection of the respiratory tract, and antibiotics start to be used immediately if cold symptoms such as a runny nose, cough, fever occur. This is a great misconception, because improper intake of antibiotics can cause great harm to the already weakened immunity of a person. Such drugs are needed only to treat bacterial infections, the development of which can be caused by complications of the common cold. Usually, antibiotics are prescribed if, after 4-5 days after the onset of the disease, the patient does not experience an improvement in condition or, on the contrary, it becomes worse.

Amoxiclav for colds

Antibiotics for colds should be used purposefully, depending on the condition of the patient and the features of the course of the disease. Among the common drugs used in modern medicine, a separate place is occupied by an effective antibacterial drug Amoxiclav. It has established itself as a reliable tool for treating various complications caused by colds and other unfavorable factors, such as the occurrence of infections after surgery.

Amoksiklav for colds is successfully used in modern medicine to treat so-called. "Mixed" infections, as well as to prevent possible infection of the patient during surgical intervention. The mixed type of infection is most often caused by gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms, as well as by anaerobes (including strains), manifested as chronic forms of otitis, sinusitis and osteomyelitis, cholecystitis, odontogenic infections, aspiration pneumonia, various infections of the abdominal cavity, and the like.

Amoksiklav - a combination of two substances: aminopenicillin, amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, which has a pronounced bactericidal effect. A detailed medical study of the microbiological properties of this preparation gives grounds to state that Amoxiclav, due to the combination of the above-mentioned active substances, has a depressing effect on the synthesis of bacterial walls and has a stable antibacterial effect on a host of pathogenic microorganisms: Neisseria spp., Streptococcus spp. (different groups), Staphylococcus spp., Proteus spp., Klebsiella spp., Helicobacter pylori, Moraxella catarrhalis, Acinetobacter spp., Haemophilus influenzae and many others. Other

Pharmacokinetic properties of Amoxiclav indicate its pronounced advantages in comparison with other penicillins. So, after taking the drug, rapid absorption of components from the digestive tract, regardless of food intake, is observed. The maximum level of drug concentration is reached approximately 45 minutes after admission. The main way to remove the drug from the body is its release together with urine, calves, and exhaled air.

Amoxiclav for colds, due to its pronounced antimicrobial activity and unique pharmacokinetic properties, is used to treat a number of infectious diseases accompanied by inflammatory processes:

  • infections of the respiratory system (in particular, acute and chronic sinusitis, bronchitis, zagrug abscess, pneumonia, etc.);
  • otitis (both acute and chronic);
  • infections of the skin, joints, soft tissues and bones;
  • infections of the genitourinary system;
  • various kinds of gynecological infections.

As for the side effects that occur when taking Amoxiclav, the drug is generally tolerated by patients normally, without any adverse reactions from the body. As a percentage, only 8-14% of the total number of patients had side effects in the form of abnormal gastrointestinal function (diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting). To avoid such side effects, it is recommended to reduce the dosage of the drug and take it during meals.

Antibiotics for colds are invaluable when there is an urgent need to resist the development of pathogenic microbes and bacterial infections. However, summing up, it is necessary to note again that the reception of antibiotics must be coordinated with a competent medical specialist. This is the only way to achieve high results in the treatment of post-cold complications and to minimize the risk of negative effects of antibacterial agents on human immunity.

trusted-source[19], [20], [21]

Antibiotics for pregnant women with colds

Antibiotics for colds, as effective drugs that suppress the growth of pathogens, occur only in cases of complications caused by the development of bacterial infection in the body. Their use makes it possible to suppress the growth of not only pathogenic bacteria, but also certain fungi, thereby facilitating the life of a patient with a cold. One should remember the danger of self-treatment with antibacterial agents, especially when it comes to children and pregnant women. In such cases, it is necessary to take antibiotics as responsibly as possible, following only the recommendations and competent appointments of an experienced doctor.

Antibiotics for pregnant women with colds should be chosen in view of their effect on the fetus and only in those extreme cases that do require the use of these drugs. To select the most suitable antibiotic for the treatment of a pregnant woman, you should first determine the causative agent of the disease, as well as to reveal its sensitivity to one or another drug. If it is impossible to conduct such a study, antibiotics of a broad spectrum of action are usually prescribed. The antibiotics of the penicillin series (for example, Ampicillin, Oxacillin, etc.), as well as cephalosporins (eg, Cefazolin) and some macrolides (among them Erythromycin and Azithromycin) are considered to be the most harmless for the mother and child organism. It is these drugs that doctors give preference to when prescribing treatment for pregnant women.

The dosage of an antibiotic for a pregnant woman is determined by a doctor, usually it does not differ from the dosage of the drug for the rest. A future mother should carefully follow the recommendations of the doctor and in no case should not reduce the dose of the medicine, tk. It can provoke the opposite effect: in such a situation, the antibiotic will not have such an effective action aimed at the destruction of microbes, and will not be able to completely suppress the bacterial infection.

Be sure to take into account the fact that antibiotics maximize their effectiveness only in the treatment of infectious diseases of bacterial origin. In other cases, they are not able to provide the desired action and can even harm the body. For example, antibacterial drugs will be powerless when:

  • ARVI and influenza (in this case, the diseases are caused by viruses, for the destruction of which it is necessary to use antiviral drugs);
  • inflammatory processes (antibiotics are not anti-inflammatory drugs);
  • elevated temperature (do not confuse the effect of antibiotics with the action of antipyretic and analgesic drugs);
  • coughing in pregnant women in those cases if it is caused by a viral infection, an allergic reaction, the development of bronchial asthma, but not the action of microorganisms;
  • intestinal disorders.

If we consider the impact of antibiotics on the fetus, then according to the results of numerous medical studies, we can conclude that these drugs do not provoke the development of any birth defects in the child and do not affect his genetic apparatus. But at the same time, some groups of antibacterial drugs have so-called. Embryotoxic effect, i.e. Can lead to a violation of the function of the kidneys of the fetus, the bookmark of the teeth, affect the auditory nerve, and cause a number of other adverse changes.

Antibiotics for pregnant women with a cold have the most unfavorable effect on the fetus in the first trimester of pregnancy, so if there is such an opportunity, treatment is recommended to be transferred to the II trimester. However, if there is an urgent need for such treatment, the physician must prescribe the antibiotic with the lowest toxicity to the future mother, and also strictly monitor the condition of the pregnant woman.

trusted-source[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]

Attention!

To simplify the perception of information, this instruction for use of the drug "What antibiotics for colds are effective for adults, children: list and names" translated and presented in a special form on the basis of the official instructions for medical use of the drug. Before use read the annotation that came directly to medicines.

Description provided for informational purposes and is not a guide to self-healing. The need for this drug, the purpose of the treatment regimen, methods and dose of the drug is determined solely by the attending physician. Self-medication is dangerous for your health.

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