prophylaxis (redirected from Profilactic)

Prophylaxis 

Definition

A prophylaxis is a measure taken to maintain health and prevent the spread of disease. Antibiotic prophylaxis is the focus of this article and refers to the use of antibiotics to prevent infections.

Purpose

Antibiotics are well known for their ability to treat infections. But some antibiotics also are prescribed to prevent infections. This usually is done only in certain situations or for people with particular medical problems. For example, people with abnormal heart valves have a high risk of developing heart valve infections after even minor surgery. This happens because bacteria from other parts of the body get into the bloodstream during surgery and travel to the heart valves. To prevent these infections, people with heart valve problems often take antibiotics before having any kind of surgery, including dental surgery.

Antibiotics also may be prescribed to prevent infections in people with weakened immune systems, such as people with AIDS or people who are having chemotherapy treatments for cancer. But even healthy people with strong immune systems may occasionally be given preventive antibiotics-if they are having certain kinds of surgery that carry a high risk of infection, or if they are traveling to parts of the world where they are likely to get an infection that causes diarrhea, for example.

In all of these situations, a physician should be the one to decide whether antibiotics are necessary. Unless a physician says to do so, it is not a good idea to take antibiotics to prevent ordinary infections.

Because the overuse of antibiotics can lead to resistance, drugs taken to prevent infection should be used only for a short time.

Description

Among the drugs used for antibiotic prophylaxis are amoxicillin (a type of penicillin) and fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and trovafloxacin (Trovan). These drugs are available only with a physician's prescription and come in tablet, capsule, liquid, and injectable forms.

Recommended dosage

The recommended dosage depends on the type of antibiotic prescribed and the reason it is being used. For the correct dosage, check with the physician or dentist who prescribed the medicine or the pharmacist who filled the prescription. Be sure to take the medicine exactly as prescribed. Do not take more or less than directed, and take the medicine only for as long as the physician or dentist says to take it.

Precautions

If the medicine causes nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, check with the physician or dentist who prescribed it as soon as possible. Patients who are taking antibiotics before surgery should not wait until the day of the surgery to report problems with the medicine. The physician or dentist needs to know right away if problems occur.

For other specific precautions, see the entry on the type of drug prescribed such as penicillins or fluoroquinolones.

Side effects

Antibiotics may cause a number of side effects. For details, see entries on specific types of antibiotics. Anyone who has unusual or disturbing symptoms after taking antibiotics should get in touch with his or her physician.

Interactions

Whether used to treat or to prevent infection, antibiotics may interact with other medicines. When this happens, the effects of one or both of the drugs may change or the risk of side effects may be greater. Anyone who takes antibiotics for any reason should inform the physician about all the other medicines he or she is taking and should ask whether any possible interactions may interfere with drugs' effects. For details of drug interactions, see entries on specific types of antibiotics.

Key terms

AIDS — Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A disease caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In people with this disease, the immune system breaks down, opening the door to other infections and some types of cancer.

Antibiotic — A medicine used to treat infections.

Chemotherapy — Treatment of an illness with chemical agents. The term is usually used to describe the treatment of cancer with drugs.

Immune system — The body's natural defenses against disease and infection.

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prophylaxis /pro·phy·lax·is/ (-fĭ-lak´sis) prevention of disease; preventive treatment.

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pro·phy·lax·is (prf-lkss, prf-)

n. pl. pro·phy·lax·es (-lksz)

Prevention of or protective treatment for disease.

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prophylaxis

[prō′filak′sis]

Etymology: Gk, prophylax, advance guard

prevention of or protection against disease, often involving the use of a biologic, chemical, or mechanical agent to destroy or prevent the entry of infectious organisms. prophylactic, adj.

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prophylaxis (prō´filak´sis),

n the prevention of disease.

prophylaxis, oral (adult/child),

n a series of procedures where plaque, calculus, and stain are removed from the teeth. This procedure is not the same as coronal polishing because the clinician can work subgingivally if needed. Only a licensed dental hygienist or dental professional is qualified to determine the need for oral prophylaxis and to perform the procedure. The colloquial term is
prophy. See also coronal polishing.

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prophylaxis

prevention of disease; preventive treatment.

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dental prophylaxis

scaling and polishing teeth carried out regularly to prevent and control peridontal disease.

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prophylaxis

Medtalk A medical maneuver intended to prevent disease. See Chemoprophylaxis, HIV prophylaxis, Malaria prophylaxis.

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Patient discussion about Profilactic.

Q. Is there a way to prevent breast cancer? My mom died of breast cancer, and as I understand – It’s a very high risk factor. What can I change in my life style in order to prevent it?

A. There is a lot of debate about the role of Estrogen exposure. It clearly contributes to breast cancer risk, not as much if you don’t have family history.
So it might be wise to Avoid long-term hormone therapy. Avoid working night shifts- it changes your hormonal balance because of lighting (light is a big factor of hormonal changes during the day). and there are a lot of estrogen-like pesticides today, it’s suspected as one of the things that raised the amount of breast cancer in modern life.

Here is a nice site that might help:
http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/

Q. How to prevent burns from babies? I have a 4 month old baby and when I gave him a bath last night, he turned red because of the hot water. After the bath the color faded but now I am worried, can this burn him?

A. Don't worry, it isn't a burn, however you must be careful as babies are very sensitive. Here is a good website which has great tips for preventing burns in babies and kids:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/burns.html

Q. How can I prevent blood clots? I am 45 years old and am supposed to go on a business trip overseas. The flight itself is 12 hours long and then I have to continue traveling by bus. Could this cause me to have blood clots? If so, how can I prevent it?

A. Sitting or laying in one position for a long period of time can increase the risk of developing DVT- deep vein thrombosis. Here are some methods to prevent it:
Exercise your calf and foot muscles regularly:
Every half hour or so, bend and straighten your legs, feet and toes when you are seated.
Press the balls of your feet down hard against the floor or foot-rest every so often. This helps to increase the blood flow in your legs
Take a walk up and down the aisle every hour or so, when the aircraft crew say it is safe to do so.
If you are allowed, get off the plane and walk about if the plane stops for refueling.
Consider buying a leg exerciser for the journey.
Drink plenty of water (to avoid dehydration).
Do not drink too much alcohol. (Alcohol can cause dehydration and immobility.)
Do not take sleeping tablets, which cause immobility.
Consider wearing compression stockings.
Some people at high risk may also be advised to take anticoagulant medication by their Dr.