Question

Why is it important to continue taking all medications until finished?

1) To ensure that all bacteria are killed
2) To prevent the most resistant bacteria from surviving
3) To make sure that the medication is effective
4) To avoid the development of antibiotic resistance

Answer 1

Continuing to take all prescribed medications until finished is crucial for eradicating all the bacteria, preventing the survival of resistant strains, maintaining the treatment's effectiveness, and curbing the development of antibiotic resistance.

Step-by-step explanation:

It is important to continue taking all medications until finished to ensure the effectiveness of the treatment, to reduce the risk that particularly resistant bacteria may survive, and to avoid the development of antibiotic resistance. If a full course of antibiotics is not completed, the remaining bacteria, which are more likely to be resistant, can reproduce, leading to an increase in resistant bacteria. Not only can this pose a risk to the individual by potentially causing a second infection, but it also contributes to the wider issue of antibiotic resistance, which is a growing concern to health professionals worldwide.

Figure 3. illustrates how widespread use and misuse of antibiotics have led to the natural selection of resistant bacteria. Improper usage practices, such as not completing a prescribed course, contribute to the increase of these resistant strains. Furthermore, antibiotic resistance can spread very quickly, and resistant infections become more challenging to treat, leading to increased mortality rates due to antibiotic-resistant infections.