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Antibiotics 101 > Antibiotic Classes > Flashcards

Antibiotic Classes Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 3 main ways antibiotics kill bacteria?

A

Acting on the bacteria cell wall
Acting on the bacterial ribosome
Acting on bacterial DNA

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2
Q

Antibiotics are “selectively toxic”, what does this mean?

A

They kill bacteria without damaging host cells

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3
Q

What does bactericidal mean?

A

Kills bacteria

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4
Q

What does bacteriostatic mean?

A

Inhibits growth of bacteria

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5
Q

What does narrow spectrum mean?

A

Antibiotic acts on a limited range of bacteria

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6
Q

What does broad spectrum mean?

A

Antibiotic acts on a wide range of gram +ve and -ve bacteria

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7
Q

Where in the GI tract are antibiotics absorbed?

A

Small intestine

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8
Q

Which 3 classes of antibiotics act on the cell wall?

A

Penicillins
Glycopeptides
Cephalosporins

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9
Q

How are penicillins excreted from the body?

A

Via the kidneys (rapidly)

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10
Q

Are penicillins safe in pregnancy?

A

Yes

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11
Q

If an antibiotic contains “cilia” it’s name, which antibiotic class does it belong to?

A

Penicillins!

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12
Q

How do penicillins kill bacteria?

A

Inhibit cell wall synthesis (bactericidal)

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13
Q

If antibiotics contains “ceph” or “cef” in it’s name, is it a ….?

A

Cephalosporin

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14
Q

How do cephalosporins kill bacteria?

A

Inhibit cell wall synthesis by preventing cross-linking of peptidoglycan (bactericidal)

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15
Q

How are cephalosporins excreted?

A

Via kidneys and urine

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16
Q

Are cephalosporins safe in pregnancy?

A

Yes

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17
Q

How do glycopeptides kill bacteria?

A

Binds to the end of the growing pentapetide chain during peptidoglycan synthesis, preventing cross-linking and weakening the bacterial cell wall

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18
Q

How are glycopeptides administered?

A

IV

Not absorbed orally

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19
Q

Give examples of glycopeptides?

A

Vancomycin

Teicoplanin

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20
Q

How are glycopeptides excreted?

A

Via kidneys and urine

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21
Q

Why should precautions be taken when prescribing vancomycin for patients with kidney failure?

A

Toxic levels of vancomycin can build up in the blood of patients with kidney failure causing further kidney damage

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22
Q

Vancomycin is only active against gram +ve or -ve?

A

Gram +ve

NO activity against Gram -ve

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23
Q

Vancomycin can only be given orally for which infection?

A

C. Diff

acts topically on the gut lumen

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24
Q

Name 3 classes of antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis?

A

Macrolides
Aminoglycosides
Tetracyclines

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25
How do antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis?
Attach to bacterial ribosomes Protein synthesis can resume when antibiotic is removed (bacteriostatic= inhibits growth but does not kill bacteria, bacteria then killed by WBC)
26
Why are ahminoglycosides the exception to the rule for antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis?
Aminoglycoside group bind to ribosomes which is lethal
27
Give examples of macrolides
Erythromycin Clarythromycin Azithromycin
28
How are macrolides excreted?
Via the liver, biliary tract and guy | not urine
29
Macrolides are useful for treating infections that "hide" from the host's immune system, how?
Macrolides are lipophilic and can pass through cell membranes easily to attack the bacteria hiding in the host's cells
30
Which macrolide is safe for pregnancy?
Erythromycin
31
Give an example of an aminoglycoside
Gentamicin
32
How should gentamicin be administered?
IV | Not absorbed by gut
33
How does gentamicin kill bacteria?
Binds to ribosomes inhibiting protein synthesis but also bactericidal
34
Which antibiotic is mainly active against Gram negative?
Gentamicin
35
Which antibiotic is used for coliforms?
Gentamicin
36
Which antibiotic can be used for pseudomonas aeruginosa?
Gentamicin
37
How is gentamicin excreted?
Urine
38
How are tetracyclines excreted?
Liver and biliary system
39
Why should tetracyclines not be given to under 12s?
Stains their teeth
40
Which antibiotic can be used against "true" anaerobes?
Clindamycin
41
Name two other antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis
Clindamycin and chloramphenicol
42
Give an example of a tetracycline
Doxycycline
43
What can doxycycline be used to treat?
Some chest + skin infections for pts with Pen allergy | Treating bacteria without a proper cell wall (atypical pneumonias)
44
Name 3 antibiotics that act on bacterial DNA
Metronidazole Trimethoprim Fluoroquinolones
45
How do antibiotics act on bacterial DNA?
Acts by causing strand breakage of bacterial DNA
46
Metronidazole can treat?
Infection caused by "true" anaerobes | Some infections caused by protozoa (single-celled parasites)
47
What is the mode of action for fluoroquinolones?
``` Inhibits bacterial folic acid synthesis Inhibits topoisomerase (enzymes responsible for the supercoiling and uncoiling of DNA), thus bacteria can no longer replicate ```
48
Are fluoroquinolone bactericidal?
Yes
49
Which antibiotics are the only antibiotics that can be given orally to treat Pseudomonas infection?
Fluoroquinolones
50
How are fluoroquinolones excreted?
Urine
51
Give examples of fluoroquinolones
Ciprofloxacin | Levofloxacin
52
How can you use ciprofloxacin to treat?
Complicated UTIs | Sometimes UTIs in younger men (<60y/o)
53
What must levofloxacin only be used to treat?
ONLY for severe community-acquired pneumonia in Pen allergy pts
54
What are the 3 forms of penicillin available?
Benzylpenicillin (Penicillin G, IV) Phenoxymethyl penicillin (Penicillin V, oral) Long-acting penicillin (IM)
55
Which penicillin treats Gram positive?
Flucloxacillin
56
Which penicillins treat Gram negative?
Amoxicillin Co-amoxiclav Tazocin (Piperacillin/Tazobactam)
57
Which organisms is flucloxacillin only used for due to a very narrow spectrum?
Staph and Strep ONLY
58
Which penicillin is the most commonly prescribed?
Flucloxacillin as staph and strep are skin infections
59
What infections does flucloxacillin treat?
Skin and soft tissue Wound infection Cellulitis (soft tissues under the skin) Staph. aureus infections
60
How is amoxicillin administered?
Can be given orally as this is well-absorbed
61
How effective is amoxicillin compared to other penicillins?
Less effective over the years, many organisms produce beta-lactamase (enzyme that destroys beta- lactam ring)
62
What is co-amoxiclav a combination of?
Combination of amoxicillin (antibiotic) + clavulanic acid (beta-lactamase inhibitor) This combination extends the range of bacteria that can be treated
63
What is tazocin a combination of?
Piperacillin (antibiotic) + Tazobactam (beta-lactamase inhibitor) AKA pip-tazobactam
64
How can tazocin only be administered?
IV not absorbed orally
65
Pip-tazobactam will treat which type of bacteria?
Gram negative including pseudomonas
66
Name a 1st gen cephalosporin
Cefalexin (UTI)
67
Name a 2nd gen cephalosporin
Cefuroxime (used very little)
68
Name 3rd gen cephalosporins
Cefixime (Gonorrhoea) Ceftriaxone (meningitis) Ceftazidime (Pseudomonas sp)
69
What can macrolides been used for treating?
``` Intracellular organisms (e.g. Legionella infection) Bacteria without a proper cell wall (mycoplasma and chlamydia) ```

Antibiotics 101 (16 decks)

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