health
diciembre 6, 2025
No se automedique y menos con antibióticos: bacterias resistentes están al alza en Antioquia
La automedicación en Antioquia es una práctica cada vez más común y peligrosa. Este panorama se ha convertido en un verdadero dolor de cabeza para la ...
TL;DR
- Antioquia reported 14 confirmed outbreaks of resistant bacteria in the last year, double the previous year's figure.
- The rise in resistance is attributed to the common practice of buying antibiotics without a prescription and self-medicating for respiratory infections.
- Some specific infections, like Burkholderia cepacia, have shown a 33% mortality rate in Antioquia due to resistance.
- Patients with resistant infections face double the risk of death and treatments can be up to ten times more expensive.
- Difficulties in accessing medical consultations through EPS systems push individuals towards self-medication.
- In rural areas, distance to health centers leads people to consult informal sources like neighbors or local shopkeepers.
- Self-medication cases increase during colder months and heavy rains, with common antibiotics like amoxicillin being misused for flu-like symptoms.
- Approximately 10% of deaths related to antimicrobial resistance involve children under five years old.
- Factors worsening the situation include climate changes, increased respiratory illnesses, long waits for medical appointments, and a culture of relying on others' remedies.
- The Secretariat of Health of Antioquia has analyzed 66,154 isolations related to antibiotic resistance cases.
- Most resistance reports are from Valle de Aburrá and Oriente antioqueño, with 88% of cases referring to the ineffectiveness of basic or old antibiotics.
- Common monitored infections include urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and skin/tissue infections.
- Resistance to potent 'last-line' antibiotics is between 7% and 10%, while resistance to common antibiotics in emergency services is around 32%.
- The "Una Sola Salud" strategy has been implemented by the Antioquia Governor's office to address the issue.
- Health authorities are reinforcing circulars reminding establishments of the mandatory requirement to demand a prescription for antibiotics.