Irrational Use of Antibiotics: A Global Threat to Public Health

Improper, excess, or unwarranted use of antimicrobial agents in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases is called irrational use of antibiotics. This encompasses administering the antibiotics without effective clinical or microbiological diagnosis, treating viral infections with antibiotics, improper choice of broad-spectrum agents, inappropriate dosage, excessive treatment period, and self-treatment, which cannot be successful without the supervision of a professional. The irrational practices have become a leading universal health issue in the world because the practice contributes directly to the rapid emergence and propagation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).Antimicrobial resistance is a significant cause of failure of treatment outcome, a lengthy duration of illness, longer hospital stays, and higher healthcare expenses coupled with high morbidity and mortality as well as the reduction of effectiveness of popular antibiotics.The current review will have a broad view of the irrational use of antibiotics, their historical development, classification, and actions, as well as the disease-specific first-line antibiotic therapy. The pharmacological and clinical outcomes of irrational antibiotic use are also mentioned in the review with the help of recorded case studies such as organ toxicity, secondary infection, and life-threatening adverse drug reactions. Besides, rational prescribing practices, therapeutic drug monitoring, antimicrobial stewardship initiatives, and patient education are highlighted as key measures that need to be adopted in the fight against AMR.The rational use of antibiotics should be encouraged in order to protect the clinical usefulness of these drugs, patient safety, and the health of the population. Regulatory frameworks should be tightened; more attention should be paid to the population in order to reduce the danger of increasing the risk of antimicrobial resistance.