Prescribing antibiotics for coronavirus can lead to dangerous consequences, in particular – to liver and heart damage, up to the development of arrhythmias. Sergei Yakovlev, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Hospital Therapy at Sechenov University, President of the Alliance of Clinical Chemotherapists and Microbiologists, spoke about this in an interview with Lente.ru.
According to him, in some countries there is already a position not to prescribe antibiotics to patients with COVID-19 due to the risks of antimicrobial resistance. “Many antibiotics are not the most harmless drugs, they can cause serious side effects,” Yakovlev warned. “Sometimes, even with fatal heart rhythm disturbances. Their effect on helping patients with coronavirus is questionable, but the risk is obvious.”
He also noted that it is not recommended to use antibiotics to prevent bacterial complications of coronavirus. This is due to the fact that the risk of bacterial superinfection with such drugs is not reduced, since each drug has a specific spectrum of action.
“If there were attempts to prevent antibiotic prophylaxis, but the infection did occur, for example, against the background of immunodeficiency in the patient, this infection will be caused by more resistant microbes, and the risk of ineffectiveness of antibiotic therapy, and, therefore, death, will be much higher “, – added Yakovlev.
Earlier, the chief microbiologist and antimicrobial resistance specialist of the Russian Ministry of Health, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Roman Kozlov warned about the dangers of taking antibiotics. According to him, the appointment of these drugs is justified only when such consequences as leukocytosis or the appearance of purulent sputum occur. In this regard, Kozlov urged to closely monitor the intake of antibiotics prescribed by the doctor: strictly follow the recommendations for the regimen and frequency of administration, as well as the duration of use.