Question

Mona goes to another medicenter with the same symptoms as Bessie. Instead of having tests done, the doctor writes her a prescription for ampicillin. 2 days later she is so ill that she ends up in the ICU. Why?

A. She likely has ampicillin rash, a systemic condition
B. She probably had an ampicillin resistant S. pyogenes
C. She probably had an allergy to ampicillin
D. She likely took too many pills the first day and the toxicity caused a shutdown of her organs

Answer 1

The most likely reason Mona ended up in the ICU after being prescribed ampicillin is that she likely had an allergy to the antibiotic, which can cause severe, life-threatening reactions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mona goes to another medicenter with the same symptoms as Bessie, and 2 days after being prescribed ampicillin, she ends up in the ICU. Given this scenario, the most likely reason for her deteriorating health could be D. She probably had an allergy to ampicillin. Allergic reactions to medications can be life-threatening and result in hospitalization, especially if they affect multiple organ systems leading to anaphylaxis. Alternatively, it is possible that the organism causing her symptoms was resistant to ampicillin; however, drug-resistance usually results in persistence or slow progression of disease rather than rapid deterioration. Ampicillin rash is a possible side effect but is less likely to cause severe illness leading to ICU admission. Overdose is also unlikely unless there was an error in prescription or in taking the medication. In all four options, without immediate and appropriate medical intervention, the patient's condition can escalate to a critical state.