3 things you need to know NOW about the 'last resort' drug

What to do when you get an antibiotic-resistant infection

The number of drug-resistant infections has been increasing over the past decade, to the point where hospitals must now turn to what is called a "last resort" drug.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Everyone knows that it is important to take antibiotics according to doctor's orders, but in some cases patients do not follow through, or the antibiotic is incorrectly prescribed, leading to drug-resistant bacteria. Luckily, there are "last-resort" drugs, but what are some things we need to know about them?

The first thing to be aware of is that more and more people are getting diagnosed with drug-resistant infections, some of which can lead to organ failure or even death.

A new report from Public Health England (PHE) shows bloodstream infections caused by E. coli jumped 15.6 percent from 2010 to 2014 and that those suffering from Klebsiella pneumoniae increased by 20.8 percent.

If left untreated, E. coli can begin with severe stomach cramping, vomiting and bloody diarrhea before leading to kidney failure and eventually death. Klebsiella pneumoniae can cause urinary-tract infections and pneumonia as well as blood poisoning.

Too many antibiotics are being prescribed.

In 74 percent of GP surgeries, antibiotics are prescribed, with hospitals accounting for eighteen percent of all antibiotic prescriptions. Though hospitals prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics, which are effective against several bacteria, the PHE report indicates the use of such drugs have risen significantly since 2010.

NHS England's director of patient safety, Dr. mike Durkin, said, "As one of the largest healthcare providers in the world, it is vital the NHS is seen to lead that fight against the global problem of antimicrobial resistance so these immensely important medicines can be preserved for now and future generations."

"Last-resort" antibiotics are carbapenems (piperacillin/tazobactam) drugs that help patients who can no longer rely on average antibiotics.

The "last-resort" carbapenems have been increasingly necessary since 2010. The PHE report claims the prescribing of piperacillin has increased by 36 percent and tazobactam by 55 percent within the four-year window, with an overall prescribing increase from hospitals by 11.7 percent.

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