Bactrim, a combination of two antibiotics, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, was once the first choice of antibiotics for treating urinary tract infections. For every antibiotic there is a finite number of times it can be used effectively before resistances develop. Bactrim is approaching its limit. According to Harvard Medical School, one in three urinary tract infections in healthy young women is now resistant to this antibiotic.
When an antibiotic is used to kill bacteria, some bacteria will evolve immunity to it. When that antibiotic is in the population long enough, immune bacteria become so common that they cause a high percent of infections. When that happens, other antibiotics must be prescribed. Therefore doctors should not prescribe antibiotics for colds and other viral illnesses for which antibiotics are not indicated.
A wide array of antibiotics is available for treating urinary tract infections. Choosing the best drug involves obtaining a urine sample, growing bacteria from it, and testing various antibiotics to learn which one(s) kill the bacteria best. Some antibiotics commonly prescribed for urinary tract infections are:
- Beta-lactams
- Amoxicillin
- Augmentin
- Keflex
- Duricef
- Ceftin
- Lorabid
- Rocephin
- Cephalexin
- Suprax
- Fluroquinolones
- Cipro
- Levaquin
- Floxin
- Tetracyclines
- Doxycycline
- Minocycline
- Aminoglycosides
- Gentamycin
- Amikacin
- Tobramycin
- Macrolides
- Clarithromycin
- Azithromycin
- Erythromycin
- Fosfomycin
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