7 Patient Teaching for Anti-Infective Therapy
Learn how to use anti-infective medicines safely, follow medicine-specific instructions, reduce infection spread, and recognize when to seek medical advice.
Follow the prescribed directions
differ in how they are taken, whether they should be taken with food, and how long treatment lasts. Follow the directions for the specific medicine prescribed. If instructions are unclear, ask a pharmacist or prescriber; do not change a dose or share medication.
Check with a pharmacist or prescriber about administration, interactions, and missed doses. Do not save prescription medicine for a future illness or use medicine prescribed for someone else.
and missed doses
treat certain bacterial infections, not viral colds. Taking leftover or someone else’s prescription is not appropriate; using or saving a prescription for later can delay appropriate care and cause harm.
If a dose is missed and the medicine’s instructions do not say what to do, check the patient instructions or ask a pharmacist or prescriber. Missed-dose instructions vary by drug, so do not take two doses together or otherwise add doses unless specifically directed.
Complete treatment as directed
Take as directed. If symptoms improve before the prescribed treatment is finished, continue as directed and contact the prescriber before stopping or changing treatment. Do not take remaining doses all at once or save the medicine for another person.
Food and antimalarial medicines
Food instructions depend on the specific antiparasitic medicine. Some antimalarial regimens are taken with fatty food or a milky drink to improve absorption, but this does not apply to every antiparasitic medicine. Follow the label and the instructions for the medicine prescribed rather than changing the dose if a meal is missed.
When to ask about flu antivirals
People at increased risk of severe flu complications who develop flu symptoms should contact a healthcare provider promptly to ask whether is appropriate. Flu antivirals may be most helpful when started early, so do not wait several days to seek advice or take someone else’s antiviral medicine.
Reduce the spread of respiratory infections
When you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, stay home and away from others while sick and practice good hand hygiene. Follow current guidance for returning to activities and any additional instructions for the particular infection. Starting medicine does not by itself mean you should continue normal activities while sick.
Recognize serious symptoms
Trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat after starting an anti-infective may indicate a and requires emergency care.
Contact a healthcare professional about concerning side effects, severe or persistent diarrhea, a worsening infection, or symptoms that are not improving as expected. Mild nausea after a dose, a , and symptoms that are gradually improving are not identified here as emergency symptoms; follow medicine-specific instructions and seek professional advice when needed.