Final answer:
False. The use of antibiotics increases the risk of developing C. difficile diarrhea, as it disrupts the gut microbiota and allows C. difficile bacteria to overgrow. Alternative treatments like fecal transplants and careful antibiotic use are critical for handling C. difficile infections.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "increasing the use of antibiotics helps lower the risk of developing C. difficile diarrhea" is false. In fact, the use of antibiotics is one of the primary factors contributing to the development of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections. When antibiotics are administered, they can disrupt the normal microbiota, or the community of beneficial bacteria in the gut. This disruption allows harmful bacteria such as C. difficile, which is naturally antibiotic-resistant, to proliferate and become overrepresented in the intestine, leading to antibiotic-associated diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues.
Patients who are especially at risk include those who are immunocompromised, older, have had gastrointestinal procedures, or use proton pump inhibitors, as these conditions may further increase susceptibility to C. difficile overgrowth. Moreover, C. difficile can form endospores, allowing it to survive harsh conditions and persist in the environment, making it a formidable pathogen in healthcare settings. To combat C. difficile infections, treatments like fecal transplants, which aim to restore the healthy gut microbiota, have shown effectiveness. Careful antibiotic use and probiotics can help reduce the risk of causing these infections.