What is prophylactic treatment?

prophylactic treatment is a medical treatment used to prevent the appearance of a disease or other health problem in a patient who is healthy at the time of treatment. Prophylactic treatment, a form of preventive medicine, can offer a very cost -effective way to maintain health. It can minimize the risk of drug use because prophylaxis is generally safer and simpler than treatment of active health. Many types of prophylactic treatment are commonly used. This treatment ranges from routine vaccinations to the use of prophylactics after exposure to reduce the risk of conclusion of HIV/AIDS contracts after exposure.

Vaccination is the most widespread form of prophylactic treatment. In determining whether or not such treatments are considered, medical officials consider factors such as the cost of the production and distribution of vaccines, the severity of the disease that is protected against, and risk factors, if existed, associated with the vaccine. Modern Vaccinations are generally very safe, with the exception of the few people,who have an allergy to the base of the vaccine, so it is usually not a problem. In the earliest days of preventive medicine, the risk was the main factor, especially in diseases such as smallpox for which inoculation could cause disease.

Antibiotics are in some cases used as prophylactic treatment against bacterial infection. Ciprofloxacin used to avert the potential infection of anthrax disputes in 2001 is an example. However, prophylactic use of antibiotics can be very risky because this can lead to a much higher level of resistance to the drug between bacteria and reduce the efficacy of antibiotics, a problem that has in some cases observed due to the use of antibiotics in animal populations. These risks mean that antibiotics are used with caution as preventive measures, although Still is very useful in patients with injuries who are particularly chizLing for infection or in patients who are going to undergo some forms of surgery.

In other cases, prophylactic treatment may be provided after the patient has been exposed to an infectious agent, but before any symptoms occur, in an effort to allow the patient's immune system a better chance of averting infection. Profylaxis after exposure is most commonly used in dealing with very dangerous infections such as HIV/AIDS. A patient who was probably exposed to this virus will often be placed on a strong course of antiretroviral drugs in an effort to prevent the development of viral infection.