National Safe Medication Use Month | Two familiar brothers: aspirin and amoxicillin

There was a news in 2018: A doctor at a health center in Anyang County, Henan Province wrote a "double-sided" prescription (an irregular prescription), with aspirin on one side and amoxicillin on the other side. As a result, a 7-year-old girl mistakenly took aspirin instead of amoxicillin, and then developed symptoms of stomach pain and headache. Fortunately, she returned to normal after treatment.

Aspirin and amoxicillin both have the surname "A" and the character "Lin" in their names, so they look like brothers. But in fact, these two drugs are completely different: aspirin is an antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet drug, while amoxicillin is an antibacterial drug. If confused and taken by mistake, it may cause serious adverse consequences. Next, Yaowa will show you the differences between these two "familiar brothers".

aspirin

Aspirin has a long history of use. It has antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-rheumatic pharmacological effects. It can be used to treat fever, toothache, headache, joint pain, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. In small doses, it can also be used clinically for antiplatelet effects, preventing transient ischemic attacks, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, artificial heart valves, arteriovenous fistulas, or thrombosis after other surgeries. When used for antipyretic and analgesic purposes, 0.3 to 0.6 grams each time, 3 times a day, and once every 4 hours if necessary. When used for antiplatelet effects, the common dose is 75 to 100 mg once a day.

It should be noted that about 0.2% of patients may experience allergic reactions such as asthma, urticaria, angioedema or shock after taking aspirin, most of whom are susceptible. Some of these patients quickly develop breathing difficulties after taking the drug, and severe cases can be fatal. This phenomenon is called aspirin asthma. Aspirin enteric-coated tablets are easier to disintegrate in the alkaline environment of the small intestine, but not easy to disintegrate in the strongly acidic environment of the stomach, so they should be taken on an empty stomach before meals. If taken after a meal, the drug may disintegrate in the stomach due to the increase in gastric pH, thereby increasing the risk of gastric ulcers and bleeding.

Amoxicillin

Amoxicillin is a commonly used broad-spectrum penicillin antibiotic used to treat diseases caused by sensitive bacterial infections, such as respiratory tract infections, urogenital tract infections, skin and soft tissue infections, etc. It can also be used to treat typhoid fever, typhoid carriers and leptospirosis. In addition, amoxicillin can also be used in combination with clarithromycin, lansoprazole and other triple drugs to eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection in the stomach and duodenum and reduce the recurrence rate of gastrointestinal ulcers. Its usage and dosage are: for general infections, 0.5 grams each time for adults, once every 6 to 8 hours, and the daily dose does not exceed 4 grams. The daily dose for children is 20 to 40 mg/kg body weight, taken in 2 to 3 times. For Helicobacter pylori infection, 1 gram each time, once every 12 hours, and needs to be used in combination with other drugs.

It should be noted that amoxicillin belongs to the penicillin class of antibiotics and may cause severe allergic reactions. It is necessary to clarify whether you are allergic before taking the medicine; people who are allergic to penicillin should not take it. It is not suitable for the treatment of viral infectious diseases, such as the common cold, and is not recommended if there is no bacterial infection. Since the drug is a time-dependent antibiotic, it should be taken at even intervals and for a sufficient course of treatment. It is metabolized by the kidneys, so the dosage and time interval of administration need to be adjusted for patients with renal insufficiency. In addition, antibiotics such as amoxicillin need to be used under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist to avoid drug abuse and adverse reactions.

Aspirin and amoxicillin have similar names, but their functions are completely different. If amoxicillin is mistakenly used as aspirin, it is easy to increase the risk of mucosal ulcers and bleeding, especially in children, which increases the risk of allergic reactions (Reyes syndrome); and if aspirin is mistakenly used as amoxicillin, it can increase the risk of antimicrobial resistance and other adverse reactions. Therefore, when using, be sure to carefully check the drug name and drug instructions, and consult a doctor or pharmacist if necessary.