Lecture 8: Antibiotics

Question 1

When were antibiotics introduced to clinical medicine?

Answer 1

1941

Question 2

What should be considered about an infection before antibiotics are prescribed?

Answer 2

• Is the infection bacterial or viral?
• Are the bacteria already resistant (in the case of surgical prophylaxis)
• Can the antibiotics reach the site of infection?
• Is the patient allergic to any antibiotics?

Question 3

What are beta-lactam antibiotics?

Question 4

What are the subtypes of beta-lactam antibiotics?

Question 5

What are

Question 6

Why are “protein synthesis” antibiotics good for gram-negative infections?

Answer 6

Because they exert more of a static effect on bacteria, stopping proliferation but not releasing large amounts of endotoxin into the patient.