Antibiotics for angina for an adult

Angina is a common infectious disease characterized by acute inflammation of the components of the lymphadenoid pharyngeal ring. Most often, this applies specifically to the palatine tonsils, other parts of the pharyngeal ring are damaged much less frequently.

If symptoms of angina occur, you should consult a doctor who will take an analysis for bacterial culture, determine the treatment regimen and prescribe the necessary antibiotic for angina.

Using the wrong dosage, skipping pills, or taking an antibiotic for longer or less than the recommended time may contribute to bacterial resistance. Even if you feel better after a few days, talk to your healthcare provider before stopping the antibiotic.

Self-medication in such a situation is unacceptable, since angina is a very serious disease that can lead to many complications. That is why strict adherence to the treatment regimen is the key to a quick and successful recovery.

The choice of antibiotics for angina depending on various situations

It is worth paying attention if you experience the following conditions:

1. Allergy. Develops for a particular drug only if the person has taken it before. Accordingly, adults are more prone to allergic manifestations than children, since by adulthood every person has taken antibiotics at least once. About all antibacterial drugs taken earlier, and allergic reactions to them, you must tell your doctor.

   Most often, adults are allergic to penicillin and antibiotics based on it. Among the means of this group for the treatment of angina are often used Ампициллин, Amoxicillin, Phenoxymethylpenicillin.

   However, in the presence of allergic reactions to both cephalosporins and penicillins, treatment with macrolide antibiotics is prescribed, the most common of which is Erythromycin.

   With simultaneous allergy to the beta-lactam ring and drugs of the macrolide group, the patient is prescribed lincosamides, one of the common drugs in this group is Lincomycin. They should be taken with caution and only under the supervision of a doctor, as they have many side effects.

2. Resistance of the causative agent of angina to antibiotics. The most common reason is their misuse or overuse. According to the data, about 30% of antibiotics taken are considered excessive. ^[1]

   Any antibiotic has a course of application that must be followed. If the patient ignores these rules and stops taking the medicine as soon as the negative symptoms disappear, some of the pathogens remain viable, acquiring signs of antibiotic resistance. This gives rise to a population of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

   Due to the prevalence of resistant strains of angina pathogens, when making a diagnosis of angina, the patient must do a bacterial culture and take tests. So it is easier for the doctor to determine the sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics of a certain group and prescribe adequate treatment.

3. Low performance of adult patients. Improper treatment of angina can be as dangerous as completely ignoring the disease. And if among younger patients the situation is more common when worried mothers give antibiotics to children at the first sign of a sore throat, even if it does not require such drastic measures, adults in most cases suffer the disease “on their feet”.

   For the treatment of responsible patients, antibiotics are prescribed in the form of capsules, tablets, suspensions. While patients who are unable to adhere to the course of treatment are given injections of antibiotics. The drugs in both cases are prescribed the same, only the form of release and the regimen of administration differ.

4. You are taking other medications. People taking antibiotics should not take other medicines or herbal remedies without talking to a doctor. Some over-the-counter drugs can also interact with antibiotics. Antibacterial drugs should not reduce the effectiveness of other medicines or aggravate their side effects.

   However, if you vomit or have diarrhea, the effectiveness of the tablets is reduced. In these circumstances, take additional contraceptive measures.

   Some common medications interact with certain antibiotics. These include:

   • Cyclosporine – should not be taken together with azithromycin and penicillins, as this enhances the toxic effect;

   • Amoxicillin in combination with clavulanic acid should not be taken simultaneously with probenecid;

   • blood thinners;

   • antihistamines;

   • antacid drug;

   • multivitamins and some supplements, especially those high in zinc, iron, and calcium

   • non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);

   • medicines for psoriasis;

   • medicines for rheumatoid arthritis;

   • potassium-sparing diuretics;

   • antifungal drugs;

   • diabetes medications;

   • muscle relaxants;

   • steroids;

   • medications for Parkinson’s disease;

   • lithium;

   • retinoids and vitamin A;

   • cholesterol medications, including statins;

   • migraine medications;

   • medicines for gout;

   • tricyclic antidepressants.

   That is why, before prescribing antibiotics for a sore throat to an adult patient, the doctor must carefully study the history and obtain all the information about the medications that the person is currently using.

Complications with angina

If your sore throat symptoms do not improve within 48 hours of taking an antibiotic, see your doctor. You may need a different antibiotic to fight the infection. If the disease is left untreated, it can lead to serious complications.

Such as:

• otitis;

• sinusitis;

• rheumatic fever, affecting joints, heart and skin;

• post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, an inflammation of the kidneys;

• mastoiditis, is an infection of the mastoid bone in the skull;

• scarlet fever, occurs when toxins created by a streptococcal infection cause a scarlet rash to develop on various parts of the body;

• guttate psoriasis is a condition that causes small, red, tear-shaped spots to appear on the body;

• paratonsillar abscess, is a purulent-filled infection that develops in the back of the tonsils.

How to take antibiotics?

Antibacterial drugs must be taken strictly according to the scheme at the same time. Indiscriminate use can lead to a decrease in the sensitivity of bacteria to the antibiotic and in the future, this drug will no longer help. 

Each drug has an annotation, usually antibiotics are taken 1-3 times a day, at regular intervals. In order for the drug to be better absorbed into the blood, it must be taken either 1 hour before a meal, or 2 hours after a meal.

How many days to drink?

Antibiotics begin to act immediately after taking. However, within two to three days you may not feel any improvement. It depends on the type of infection and how quickly your body recovers from treatment.

Most antibiotics should be taken for 7 to 14 days. The exact dosage and duration of treatment is selected by your doctor.

Even if you feel better after a few days of treatment, a full course of antibiotics is necessary to completely clear the infection. It can also prevent antibiotic resistance.

List of the most popular antibiotics and their cost

The best antibiotic for angina

Amoxicillin was originally developed as a replacement for the popular antibiotic penicillin. It was required that the new drug retained all the advantages of its “ancestor” and would not have disadvantages.

Advantages of Amoxicillin as an antibacterial drug:

• high efficiency in the treatment of bacterial infections, the pathogens of which do not have resistance to penicillin antibiotics, prevents the development of complications;

• does not have a depressing effect on the beneficial intestinal microflora, does not provoke dyspeptic disorders and other side effects;

• has high bioavailability, is almost completely absorbed by tissues (93% of the active substance). This compares favorably with Amoxicillin from other drugs of the penicillin group, even those with a greater impact force;

• a variety of release forms – tablets, capsules, powders, suspensions, injections, which allows the use of the drug for the treatment of patients of all age groups;

• also prescribed for young children, including infants, as it gently affects the intestinal microflora without causing dysbacteriosis. Infants Amoxicillin is prescribed in the form of a powder, from which a suspension is made.

Based on amoxicillin, the following drugs are made: Flemoxin Solyutab, Augmentin, Amoxiclav, Ranoxyl. All of them are suitable for the treatment of purulent tonsillitis, acute tonsillitis in children and adults, while they have an affordable price and a minimum of side effects. With a properly prescribed drug, angina and its unpleasant symptoms are eliminated in five days.

The drug deserves special attention. Augmentin – a remedy that contains not only amoxicillin, but also clavulanic acid. By itself, this auxiliary substance has a weak antibacterial activity, its main function in the complex is to protect the active substance from destruction by bacterial enzymes. Thus, Augmentin effectively fights even amoxicillin-resistant strains of microorganisms. The complex of active ingredients is safe to use and does not give additional side effects. Other drugs based on this complex: Amoxiclav, Bactoclave, Panclave, Ecoclav. Doctors for reliability prescribe them immediately instead of the usual amoxicillin.

The downside of this popular antibiotic is a number of problems that have arisen precisely because of its widespread availability and widespread use. Since amoxicillin is often prescribed for the treatment of bacterial diseases, including tonsillitis, in some cases even without an accurate diagnosis, many microorganisms have become resistant to the active substance of the drug.

And with frequent use of this remedy, the patient may develop hypersensitivity and allergic rashes. At the same time, resistant strains of bacteria may not respond to treatment even with a complex of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. This forces doctors to look for an alternative option.

What means can replace amoxicillin?

Groups of antibiotics used to treat angina in adults (in descending order of preference):

1. Penicillins. The most ancient and popular preparation of this series is actually Пенициллин, it is usually used in injections in case Amoxicillin was not at hand. The same applies to other drugs of the penicillin group – Ampicillin, Phenoxymethylpenicillin и Benzathine benzylpenicillin. They are not as effective as amoxicillin, have less bioavailability and absorption, are less safe in terms of side effects, and provoke the same allergic reactions in penicillin-sensitive patients.

2. Cephalosporins. Preparation Cedrox, Duracef, Biodroxil belong to the group of cephalosporins based on the active substance cefadroxil. They are a worthy alternative to penicillin antibiotics, therefore they are prescribed for adult patients with angina with an allergy to amoxicillin or high resistance of pathogens to penicillin drugs. Other popular cephalosporins are – Cefaclor, Цефазолин, Cephalexin.

3. Macrolides. With the resistance of the causative agent of the disease to antibacterial drugs with a beta-lactam ring, the treatment of angina in adult patients is carried out using macrolides. This group of drugs successfully fights streptococci and staphylococci, which most often provoke inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract. Macrolides form a high concentration of the active substance in tissues, inhibiting pathogenic microflora. Their impact is so strong and effective that usually a seven-day course of treatment is enough to destroy the causative agents of angina and complete recovery.

   The most popular tool in this group is Azithromycin, for the treatment of angina is also used Clarithromycin, Midekamycin, Josamycin, Roxithromycin and other drugs. But antibiotics of a number of macrolides have a significant drawback – a pronounced side effect in the form of indigestion. Macrolides inhibit not only pathogenic strains that provoke angina, but also beneficial intestinal microflora, so they are prescribed with great care. Another disadvantage of macrolides is their high price compared to penicillins.

4. Lincosamides. Assign if it is impossible to use the above antibiotics. With their sufficiently high efficiency, the main drawback is that pathogenic microorganisms quickly get used to the drugs, developing resistance. Popular means of this group – Lincomycin, Clindamycin.

What antibiotic is better to take for a child with angina?

To determine the most effective antibiotic in each individual case is the task of a pediatrician. There is no universal remedy that helps everyone and always.

As a rule, it is possible to effectively and inexpensively cure a sore throat with the help of a modern antibiotic of the penicillin series – amoxicillin (sold for children Amoxicillin, Augmentin, Flemoxin solutab, Gramox in the form of a suspension, allowed from birth). However, this remedy is not suitable if you are allergic to penicillin.

From macrolides appoint: Hemomycin, Sumamed in the form of suspensions from six months. Designated from birth Spiramycin – at the discretion of the doctor.

Of the cephalosporins from birth, they are prescribed: Cephalexin и Ceftriaxone – in the form of a suspension.

Side effects

Side effects include:

1. Digestive problems. This is the most common side effect. Anyone experiencing severe or prolonged symptoms should stop taking antibiotics and talk to a doctor.

   Severe symptoms include:

   • blood or mucus in the stool;

   • severe diarrhea;

   • intense cramping or pain in the abdomen;

   • fever;

   • uncontrollable vomiting.

2. fungal infection. Antibiotics are designed to kill harmful bacteria. However, sometimes they kill the good bacteria that protect people from fungal infections.

   Symptoms of common fungal infections include:

   • vaginal itching, swelling and soreness;

   • pain and burning sensation during intercourse and urination;

   • abnormal vaginal discharge, usually white to gray;

   • fever and chills;

   • white, thick coating in mouth and throat;

   • pain while eating or swallowing;

   • white patches on the throat, cheeks, roof of the mouth, or tongue;

   • loss of taste;

   • cottony sensation in the mouth.

3. Light sensitivity. Many types of antibiotics make the skin more sensitive to the sun (photosensitive).

4. Staining of teeth and bones. Some studies show that 3% to 6% of people who take tetracycline develop stains on the enamel of their teeth. The staining is irreversible in adults as their teeth do not change.^[2]

   Talk to your doctor about changing your antibiotic if taking the medicine causes discoloration or staining of your teeth.

5. Renal failure. The kidneys are responsible for removing toxins, including drugs, from the blood and body through the urine. Doctors often prescribe lower doses of antibiotics for older people or people with kidney disease.

New generation antibiotics for angina: how good are they?

New generations of antibiotics rarely have any revolutionary properties in the treatment of a particular disease. The main goal of their creation is the fight against microorganisms that have developed resistance to existing antibiotics and have spread among the population. That is, they act on bacteria in the same way, which means that it makes no sense to choose a drug of a new generation without a special reason.

Among those very “special reasons” for choosing treatment with new generation antibiotics, there are only two factors:

1. resistance. The immunity of the causative agent of tonsillitis to the most common antibiotics in the presence of sensitivity to a new, recently invented remedy.

2. Allergy. Hypersensitivity or allergy to traditional drugs.

With a sore throat and the first unsuccessful attempts to cure it with the help of traditional antibiotics, they turn to new generation drugs: Ticarcillin, Roxithromycin, Telithromycin, Cefpirome and others. They will cope with the disease as quickly as regular Ampicillin or Amoxicillin.

A logical question arises: if there is no difference in the action of these drugs, but new generation antibiotics are able to affect any bacteria, including those strains that have managed to develop resistance to traditional drugs, then why not always use only the most modern drugs? The answer is very simple – new generation pharmaceuticals always cost several times more than traditional ones.

Also, all new generation antibiotics for angina have one common contraindication: pregnant women and nursing mothers should not take them due to the lack of data on the effect of a particular drug on the condition of the fetus or infant fed breast milk with drug components. This information appears in the instructions and general access usually after six months or even several years of sales and use of the drug.