BATON ROUGE, La. – Antibiotic drugs are very effective at treating infections and can prevent very serious conditions like sepsis. But, when antibiotics are overused or are used to treat illnesses like a virus that won’t be affected by those drugs, it can cause poor side effects or another serious condition – antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotic resistance causes germs like bacteria or fungi to become so strong that the antibiotic drugs designed to get rid of them no longer work. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that more than 2.8 million people nationwide get infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics each year, and more than 35,000 people die from conditions caused by antibiotic resistance.
The CDC estimates more than a quarter of all antibiotic prescriptions (28%) are not necessary, so awareness is important to encourage safe drug use. U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week is Nov. 18-24. During this week, health officials share information about what antibiotic drugs are meant to treat and what they are not effective at treating, how antibiotics can interact with other medications you are taking, and what we can each do to be better at antibiotic prescribing and use.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana will host a Facebook Live Event, Keeping Up with Care: Be Antibiotics Aware tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 18. A doctor and nurse from the Blue Cross care team will share helpful information about appropriate antibiotic drug use from the healthcare provider and patient perspectives.
WHAT: Keeping Up with Care: Be Antibiotics Aware (a Facebook Live event)
WHO: Hosted by Blue Cross Care Team
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 18 at noon
WHERE: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Facebook page
Viewers can send in questions for Blue Cross care team members to answer at Blue Cross’ Facebook page before and during the live broadcast.
Visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana YouTube page to see short videos about various health topics from Blue Cross’ clinical team, including doctors, nurses, social workers and pharmacists. Subscribe to know when new videos are added. You can also connect with Blue Cross on social media for regular updates.
To learn more about health coaching with Blue Cross dietitians and other clinical team members, including nurses, social workers and pharmacists, visit www.bcbsla.com/Stronger. Blue Cross health coaches support members who are dealing with long-term health conditions, serious illnesses or acute injuries. Health coaches offer personalized support, information about their specific health needs and tips to stick to their doctors’ care plans.
You do not need to pay anything to work with a health coach.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. Founded in New Orleans in 1934, we are a tax-paying nonprofit health insurer with offices in every major region to serve our customers. We were recognized in 2019 as an honoree of The Civic 50, named by Points of Light as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. We are a private mutual company, owned by our policyholders, with an independent Louisiana Board of Directors and no shareholders. We invite all Louisianians to visit our website at www.bcbsla.com or talk to us on social media.
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