Higher antibiotic doses required for the obese
Over weight patients may have to be prescribed larger doses of antibiotic, reports BBC News.
Larger adults may not be receiving a big enough dose to clear infection and there is a risk that resistance will develop to the ‘one size fits all’ dose.
Around one in four adults in England are classified as obese, thats an increase of 15% since 1993. Size and the proportion of body fat a person carried can affect the concentration of antibiotics in the body, potentially reducing the effect in larger patients. Given the fact people are getting larger, use of standard doses of antibiotics in all adults, regardless of size, is outdated.
GPs said it was an interesting theory but may end up being expensive as pharmaceutical companies would need to alter the doses to come in a number of different sizes to suit body weights.
Likewise, smaller than average patients may get too much drug, and suffer greater side-effects as a consequence.