Monday, November 19, 2012

Pros And Cons Of Augmentin

Your doctor might prescribe you Augmentin when you are sick with a bacterial infection or illness.


Augmentin is an antibiotic that is used to treat various bacterial illnesses and infections. When going to the doctor for common bacterial infections such as a sinus infection, Augmentin is a medication that your doctor may prescribe. If you have never taken Augmentin before, you might be concerned about the possible pros and cons of doing so. It is always a good idea to research medication before taking it








Drug Information


The active ingredients in Augmentin are amoxicillin and clavulanic potassium. There are other brands of antibiotics with amoxicillin as their primary ingredient, such as a combination antibiotic made of amoxicillin and co-amoxiclav. This drug is an antibiotic that is in the aminopenicillin and beta-lactam families. This is a prescription-only drug, meaning that you cannot legally purchase it over the counter at stores, pharmacies or anywhere else.








Pros


Augmentin has been proven to treat the following bacterial conditions: lower respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, skin infections and urinary tract infections. You can take Augmentin at any time of day without any consideration of mealtimes. Some other antibiotics require that you take it directly after a meal to avoid nausea and stomach problems. This not a concern with Augmentin. Augmentin is not addictive. You do not need to worry about teenagers or substance abusers becoming addicted to Augmentin. Augmentin is also proven to treat infected animal and human bites. According to the RX List website, patients who took Augmentin experienced side effects less than nine percent of the time.


Cons


According to E-Med Expert, Augmentin is usually more expensive than amoxicillin alone. There is a risk that patients who take Augmentin may experience an allergic reaction to the drug. Those who are allergic to penicillin are most likely allergic to Augmentin, since it is in a similar family. Prolonged use of Augmentin may result in a worsened bacterial condition. There is a chance that those taking Augmentin could experience liver injury. This risk is higher in patients over the age of 65. More often than any other antibiotic, Augmentin has been reported to cause diarrhea, loose stools, nausea, vomiting, indigestion and other gastrointestinal side effects. Skin rashes may also occur while taking Augmentin.

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