Fight antimicrobial resistance by taking these actions!
As part of World Antimicrobial Appropriate Use Week, taking place from November 18 to 24, 2024, the Committee for Improving the Use of Antimicrobials at the CHUM (CAUdAC) invites you to take a moment to reflect on your contribution in the consumption of antimicrobials.
What is an antimicrobial? It is a medicine that kills or prevents the growth of microbes that cause infections. There are several classes of antimicrobials. For example, antibiotics treat bacterial infections1.
Did you know that antimicrobials are increasingly ineffective? The main cause of this growing ineffectiveness is the misuse of antimicrobials. The more antimicrobials we consume, the more micro-organisms (or microbes) become resistant to them.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared antimicrobial resistance to be one of the 10 biggest threats for public health facing humanity2. Microbial resistance will result in thousands of lives lost to ineffective treatments and billions of dollars sunk into increasingly expensive treatments.
How you can combat resistance?
For all
- Ask your doctor questions. For example, ask if prescribing antimicrobials does not interfere with taking your other medications.
- Use antimicrobials only on the recommendation of a healthcare professional.
- Never take antimicrobials from another person.
- Follow the instructions in taking antimicrobials (frequency, dosage, timing and duration).
Learn more about judicious use of antimicrobials.
For prescribers
- Make sure your patient’s diagnosis requires antimicrobials.
- Quickly optimize infection source control.
- Favor antimicrobials with the narrowest spectrum possible.
- Consider the shortest treatment time possible.
- Prioritize the oral route when safe.
Together, let’s fight antimicrobial resistance!
This message comes from the Committee for improving the use of antimicrobials at the CHUM (CAUdAC).
Sources
Canada
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