Leptospirosis drugs (Doxycycline, Penicillin, and Paracetamol)

Question 1

Define Bacteriostatic?

Answer 1

“bacteriostatic” means that the agent/drug prevents the growth of bacteria; it keeps them in the stationary phase of growth.

Question 2

Is doxycycline bacteriostatic?

Answer 2

Yes

Question 3

What is doxycycline?

Answer 3

Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections by inhibiting protein synthesis and preventing the growth of bacteria. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic so it can be used to treat both gram positive and gram negative bacterial infections.

Question 4

What is a tetracycline antibiotic?

Answer 4

A type of medication used to manage and treat a variety of bacterial infections. They are antibiotics which inhibit protein synthesis and are usually broad spectrum.

Question 5

What spectrum is doxycycline?

Answer 5

Broad-spectrum

Question 6

What is doxycycline derived from?

Answer 6

oxytetracycline

Question 7

What kind of cycline is doxycycline?

Answer 7

A tetracycline

Question 8

What is protein synthesis?

Answer 8

Bacterial protein synthesis is the process through which bacteria manufacture new proteins that they need for fundamental metabolic functions, reproduction and repair. This process is essential for bacteria to survive and function.

Question 9

What does doxycycline do in order to prevent the growth of bacteria?

Answer 9

inhibits protein synthesis

Question 10

How is Doxycycline used to treat bacterial infections such as leptospirosis? [FULL]

Answer 10

Doxycycline inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 30S prokaryotic ribosomal subunit. This causes the elongation phase of protein synthesis being blocked, which stops the production of essential proteins needed by the bacteria to survive and function as it should, which prevents the bacteria from multiplying and growing. Doxycycline works on both gram positive and gram negative bacteria because its broad-spectrum.

Question 11

What are Gram-negative bacteria?

Answer 11

Gram-negative bacteria are bacteria which stain red during gram staining and have an outer membrane.

Question 12

What are gram-positive bacteria?

Answer 12

Gram-positive bacteria are bacteria which stain purple during gram staining and have cell walls with a thicker layer of peptidoglycan than gram negative bacteria do.

Question 13

Why is doxycycline able to cross multiple membranes of target molecules?

Answer 13

it is a highly lipophilic drug

Question 14

Why is doxycycline so effective?

Answer 14

Because doxycycline is a highly lipophilic drug. This makes it effective because this means it is able to cross multiple membranes of target molecules. It also shows favourable intra-cellular penetration.

Question 15

Doxycycline side effects?

Answer 15

Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin.
decreased appetite.
diarrhea, watery and severe, which may also be bloody.
difficulty with swallowing.
feeling of discomfort.
headache.
swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue.
hives or welts, itching, or rash.
nausea
vommitting
fever

Question 16

how is doxycycline administered?

Answer 16

Through oral administration. It may come as a tablet, capsule, or suspension.

Question 17

Advantages of oral tablet administration?

Answer 17

• More convenient than IV administration, so people are more likely to adhere
• More comfortable than IV administration - people are more likely to adhere
• Easy to take, so people are more likely to adhere.
• Relatively cheap, not expensive
• Not invasive - no need for surgery - safe method of administration - money saved by NHS

Question 18

Disadvantages of oral tablet administration?

Answer 18

• People who are nil by mouth wont adhere (in this case, other methods of administration would have to be considered).
• Difficult to administer to children
• Potentially easy to forget to take the medication.
• Drugs administered orally will take longer to take effect than drugs administered intravenously.
• People with nausea or vomiting symptoms will struggle to take it.

Question 19

Advantages of oral suspension administration?

Answer 19

• Easier to give to children or elderly because the liquid can have a flavour, so it doesn’t taste bad, so the recipient is more likely to take it.
• Convenient, so people are more likely to adhere
• Easy to take, so people are more likely to adhere.
• Not invasive - no need for surgery - safe method of administration - money saved by NHS

Question 20

Disadvantages of oral suspension liquid administration?

Answer 20

• Potentially easy to forget to take the medication.
• People who are nil by mouth wont adhere (in this case, other methods of administration would have to be considered).

Question 21

Best website?

Answer 21

This one:
https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00254

Question 22

What are penicillins?

Answer 22

Penicillins are bactericidal agents that exert their mechanism of action by inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis. They are used to treat a variety of infections, including skin infections, chest infections and urinary tract infections.

Question 23

What kind of antibiotic are penicillins?

Answer 23

Beta-lactam antibiotics

Question 24

What are Beta-lactam antibiotics?

Answer 24

β-lactam antibiotics are antibiotics that have a β-lactam ring in their molecular structure. This include penicillins. β-lactam antibiotics are bactericidal.

Question 25

Are penicillins bacteriostatic or bactericidal?

Answer 25

bactericidal

Question 26

What does bactericidal mean?

Answer 26

“bactericidal” means that the agent/drug kills bacteria/an antibiotic that kills bacteria.

Question 27

Why does penicillin work best on gram positive bacteria?

Answer 27

Penicillin work best on gram positive bacteria because they do not have a cell membrane so it can easily diffuse into the bacteria.

Question 28

How does penicillin work?

Answer 28

Penicillin kills bacteria by inhibiting cell wall synthesis and the production of peptidoglycans and bursting the bacteria’s cell walls.

Question 29

What is cell wall synthesis?

Answer 29

Cell wall synthesis is the process of bacteria reconstructing its cell wall as it multiplies.

Question 30

What are peptidoglycans?

Answer 30

Peptidoglycans are substances which strengthen the cell wall and stops external fluids from entering the cell.

Question 31

How can penicillins kill bacteria and resolve the bacterial infections caused by them, such as leptospirosis? [FULL]

Answer 31

When bacteria multiply, small holes open up in the cell wall and peptidoglycans fill these holes allowing them to build new cell walls. By inhibiting transpeptidase, penicillin blocks these peptidoglycans from joining together so lots of external fluid enters the bacteria cell through the holes, causing the bacteria to burst.
When bacteria bursts, it’s easier for the immune system to break the bacteria down with white blood cells and antibodies, allowing a patient to recover from an infection more easily.

Question 32

What spectrum is penicillin?

Answer 32

broad-spectrum antibiotics

Question 33

What are some examples of pencillin drugs?

Answer 33

A few include amoxicillin, ampicillin, piperacillin, and penicillin G.

Question 34

Penicillin side effects?

Answer 34

diarrhea that is watery or bloody;

fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;

easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;

urinating less than usual or not at all;

severe skin rash, itching, or peeling;

nausea

fever

headache

agitation, confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior; or

seizure (black-out or convulsions).

CALL DOCTOR IMMEIATELY IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THESE.

Question 35

When should you get emergency help when taking pencillin?

Answer 35

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to penicillin V: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Question 36

HOW IS PENCILLIN ADMINISTERED?

Answer 36

Intravenous/intramuscular - usually injected into muscle or vein.

Question 37

What are some advantages of intravenous administration?

Answer 37

• bypasses the digestive system and delivers the substance right into the bloodstream - drugs take effect rapidly; quicker than tablets.
• delivers the necessary dose of drug easily.
• better option of administration for those who are nil by mouth or have a phobia of oral tablets.

Question 38

What are some disadvantages of intravenous administration?

Answer 38

• receiving larger doses of a medication may increase the risk of sustaining damage to the vein.
• may cause pain, unlike oral tablets
• people may be uncomfortable with needles, so wont adhere or may refuse treatment.
• potentially difficult to administer to young children.
• Chance of infection

Question 39

Define nil by mouth.

Answer 39

When patients are restricted from eating and drinking and consuming any medications orally.

Question 40

What is paracetamol also known as ?

Answer 40

Acetaminophen and Tylenol

Question 41

define analgesic

Answer 41

medications that relieve pain — pain from headaches to injuries to arthritis.

Question 42

define antipyretic

Answer 42

a medication used to prevent or reduce fever.

Question 43

What is paracetamol?

Answer 43

Acetaminophen/Paracetamol is an analgesic drug used to reduce pain and is also used for its antipyretic effects in reducing fever. It also known as Acetaminophen.

Question 44

Is paracetamol an agonist or antagonist?

Answer 44

antagonist

Question 45

Is paracetamol prescribed or over the counter?

Answer 45

Its an over the counter medication, no prescription is needed.

Question 46

define pharmacodynamics.

Answer 46

The study of the physiologic effects or actions of a drug.

Question 47

How does paracetamol reduce pain and fever? [FULL]

Answer 47

It inhibits COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes which are involved in prostaglandin synthesis. Prostaglandins mediate pain and fever. Prostaglandin synthesis is prevented when these enzymes are inhibited, so pain sensations and fever are reduced.

Question 48

Best website for paracetamol:

Answer 48

https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00316

Question 49

How is paracetamol administered?

Answer 49

Intravenous, rectal, and oral (most commonly oral)

Question 50

Side effects of paracetamol?

Answer 50

• an allergic reaction, which can cause a rash and swelling.
• drowsiness and tiredness
  tiredness
  breathlessness
  your fingers and lips to go blue
  anaemia (low red blood cell count)
  liver and kidney damage
  heart disease and stroke if you have high blood pressure

Question 51

When is paracetamol intravenously administered, and why may it be a better route of administration?

Answer 51

Intravenous use of paracetamol is carried out in critically ill patients, postsurgical patients, and paediatric patients that need immediate pain treatment, which cannot be achieved with tablets, as they are much slower. When paracetamol is intravenously administered, the body absorbs it more quickly than the oral or rectal routes.

Question 52

What is rectal administration?

Answer 52

Rectal medicines are administered (given) through the anus into the rectum.

Question 53

What are the advantages of rectal administration?

Answer 53

• A larger dose can be given in rectal drugs than with oral tablets
• Safe, it is non-invasive
• By pass first pass metabolism
• Useful alternative to patients with phobia of oral drugs or who are nil by mouth
• Useful in patients with nausea and vomiting.

Question 54

What are the disadvantages of rectal administration?

Answer 54

• There is a chance of rectal inflammation
• Inconvenient - tablets are easier to take and more convenient
• ## Embarrassing to patients - not preferred - may refuse treatment

Question 55

How might an antibiotic become resistant?

Answer 55

One way bacteria can become resistant to penicillin is that the bacteria may mutate, which causes the structure of the bacteria and its enzymes to change. This makes it resistant because the penicillin can no longer bind to or inhibit the enzyme transpeptidase because its active site will have changed, so the drug will have no effect as it will not cause the cell to burst.

Another way is if a patient does not finish the entire course of antibiotic treatment, which may happen when they begin to feel better. This allows the resistant bacteria remaining in the body to multiply, causing the original penicillin drug to be ineffective.

Question 56

What is antibiotic resistance?

Answer 56

Antibiotic resistance is when bacteria become resistant to the drugs which are supposed to kill them.