Antibiotics and Painkillers Flashcards
What are antibiotics?
Medicines that kill bacterial pathogens inside the body, without damaging body cells.
Can antibiotics kill viruses?
No, antibiotics cannot kill viruses.
Why can’t antibiotics kill viruses?
Viruses use body cells to reproduce, so drugs targeting them would affect body cells as well.
What is the primary function of painkillers like aspirin?
They treat the symptoms of disease, rather than the cause.
What are the forms in which antibiotics can be taken?
Pill, syrup, or directly into the bloodstream
Why is it important to receive the correct antibiotic?
Different antibiotics are effective against different types of bacteria
What impact has the use of antibiotics had on bacterial diseases?
Decreased the number of deaths from bacterial diseases
Give an example of an antibiotic.
Penicillin
True or False: Bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics.
True
What can occur during reproduction that affects bacteria?
Mutations can occur during reproduction
These mutations may lead to antibiotic resistance.
What happens to non-resistant bacteria when exposed to antibiotics?
Only the non-resistant ones die
This allows resistant bacteria to survive.
What is the consequence of resistant bacteria surviving and reproducing?
The population of resistant bacteria increases
This can lead to more difficult infections to treat.
What does antibiotic resistance mean?
Antibiotics that were previously effective no longer work
This phenomenon occurs due to the evolution of bacteria.
What is an example of evolution in bacteria?
Antibiotic resistance
Bacteria evolve to survive despite the presence of antibiotics.
What is one way to prevent the development of antibiotic-resistant strains?
Stop overusing antibiotics
Overuse exposes bacteria to antibiotics unnecessarily.
