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THIS SECTION DEALS WITH THE FOLLOWING ANTIBIOTIC INFORMATION:

Get Smart | Print Products | Antibiotic Week
Get Smart About Antibiotics | What You Can Do | CDC
​Get Smart About Antibiotics | What Everyone Should Know
Get Smart | Resources for Policy Makers | CDC
Get Smart | Overview | CDC
Antimicrobial resistance: no action today, no cure tomorrow - Fact Sheet: April 7, 2011
​​​Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the US | CDC Features
​Get Smart | Resources for Healthcare Professionals | CDC
Stop the Spread of Superbugs - Help Fight Drug-Resistant Bacteria​​
Get Smart | Resources to Share with the Public | CDC
Get Smart | Activities and Events | CDC
Get Smart About Antibiotics | Community Pharmacists
Vital Signs: Improving Antibiotic Use Among Hospitalized Patients
​​Improving Antibiotic Use | CDC Features
​CDC Global Health - Infographics - Antibiotic Resistance The Global Threat
​Get Smart About Antibiotics | Sore Throat
​Vital Signs - Stopping C. difficile Infections
Improving Antibiotic Use | CDC Features
Get Smart About Antibiotics | Symptom Relief | CDC
​Prompt Use of Antivirals is Key this Flu Season | CDC Features
Infectious disease trading Cards

Get Smart | Print Products | Antibiotic Week

Get Smart About Antibiotics | What You Can Do | CDC

What You Can DoEspañol: Lo que usted puede hacer

When you use antibiotics appropriately, you do the best for your health, your family's health, and the health of those around you. Here are tips for how to use antibiotics wisely.

What to Do
  • Ask your healthcare professional about what you can do stop or slow antibiotic resistance.
    • Let them know you are concerned about this issue.
  • Ask your healthcare professional if there are steps you can take to feel better and get relief from your symptoms without using antibiotics.
    • Sometimes the best treatment for your illness may be relieving your symptoms, not an antibiotic.
  • Take the prescribed antibiotic exactly as your healthcare professional tells you.
    • If taken improperly, antibiotics are more likely to cause harm.
  • Safely discard any leftover medication.
  • Ask your healthcare professional about vaccines recommended for you and your family.
    • Vaccines are an effective way to prevent infections that may require an antibiotic.
    • Vaccines are also an important way to keep diseases from spreading.

​What Not to Do
  • Never take an antibiotic for a viral infection like a cold or the flu. Antibiotics do NOT cure viral infections such as:
    • Colds
    • Flu
    • Most sore throats
    • Most coughs and bronchitis (“chest colds”)
    • Many sinus infections
    • Many ear infections
  • Never pressure your healthcare professional to prescribe an antibiotic.
  • Never skip doses or stop taking an antibiotic early, even if you no longer feel sick, unless your healthcare professional tells you to do so.
  • Never save antibiotics for the next time you become sick and do not take antibiotics prescribed for someone else.
    • Taking the wrong medicine may delay correct treatment, allow bacteria to multiply, and cause unwanted or severe side effects. Discard any leftover medication.
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Syndicated Content Details:
Source URL: http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/community/about/can-do.html
Source Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Captured Date: 2016-05-23 23:06:25.0

Get Smart About Antibiotics | What Everyone Should Know

Get Smart | Resources for Policy Makers | CDC

Get Smart | Overview | CDC 

Antimicrobial resistance: no action today, no cure tomorrow - Fact Sheet: April 7, 2011

​​Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the US | CDC Features

Get Smart | Resources for Healthcare Professionals | CDC

Stop the Spread of Superbugs - Help Fight Drug-Resistant Bacteria​

Get Smart | Resources to Share with the Public | CDC

Get Smart | Activities and Events | CDC

Get Smart About Antibiotics | Community Pharmacists

Vital Signs: Improving Antibiotic Use Among Hospitalized Patients

CDC Global Health - Infographics - Antibiotic Resistance The Global Threat

Get Smart About Antibiotics | Sore Throat

Vital Signs - Stopping C. difficile Infections

Improving Antibiotic Use | CDC Features

Get Smart About Antibiotics | Symptom Relief | CDC

​Prompt Use of Antivirals is Key this Flu Season | CDC Features

This card set has photos and information about some of the infectious diseases that CDC studies. You can view the set online OR download and print your own copy. To view or print your own set, you will need Adobe Acrobat ReaderExternal  .

You can download a free copy at https://get.adobe.com/reader/External.  Disease Cards by Set
​
CDC has resources for healthcare professionals working in outpatient and inpatient healthcare settings, as well as resources for community pharmacies and nursing homes.
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 Infectious disease trading Cards