CDC Makes Recommendations on Use of Antibiotics in Nursing Homes

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new set of guidelines aimed at improving antibiotic prescription usage in nursing homes. The recommendations suggest ways to minimize the inappropriate usage of antibiotics and prevent antibiotic resistance infections.

If a loved one living in a nursing home has been prescribed too many antibiotics or the wrong anitbiotic contact the reputable personal injury attorneys at Gordon & Partners today for a fee consultation.

TheCore Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship for Nursing Homesis a new CDC publication and it builds on last years CDC guidelines, regarding optimization of treating infections. Nearly 4.1 million Americans live in nursing homes annually and up to 75 percent of antibiotic prescriptions are not accurate, resulting in eitherunnecessary prescriptions, failing to give the antibiotic correctly in terms of dosage or duration, or it is the wrong medicine.

Nursing home residents, along with every American, are threatened by superbugs, a strain of bacteria resistant to antibiotic drugs. These superbugs develop because antibiotics are overprescribed or inaccurately given.

Another study discovered that one in five nursing home seniors with severe dementia carry drug resistant bacteria. Additionally, an excess of 10 percent of these bacteria are not treatable by four or more antibiotic classes.

The most common antibiotic resistant bacteria revealed among study participants were Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis). Around 90 percent of discovered bacteria could not be treated with gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and penicillin.

Along with nursing homes, healthcare institutions need to team up to stop the spread ofdrug resistant bacteria. Nursing home residents, especially those residents with advanced dementia, typically require more health assistance. Additionally, they are exposed to antibiotics more often. The combination of both realities may point to nursing home residents having a higher risk of contracting superbugs.

If your loved one is in a nursing home and you have reasons to be concerned about the care they are receiving, contact the nursing home neglect attorneys at Gordon & Partners right away.

Call1 (855) 722-2552to schedule your free legal consultation.