There is a high chance that you have probably taken an antibiotic at least once in your life. An antibiotic is a drug that kills bacteria and bacteria causes’ infection.

Truth be told, it is quite difficult to compare antibiotics with each other; simply because each antibiotic is designed for a specific infection.

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of the bladder, kidneys, ureters, or urethra. Coli, a type of bacteria that lives in the bowel and near the anus, causes most UTIs. UTI symptoms include pain, abdominal pain, mild fever, urinary urgency and frequency.

Therefore, when using the term “strongest” when antibiotics are concerned, we are talking about the activity to the unit measure of an antibiotic to the specific infection. Here is a list of the Strongest and Powerful antibiotics that are recommended by health care professionals.

20. Imipenem- cilastatin

Imipenem belongs to a class of antibiotic referred to as a carbapenem-type antibiotic which is known to kill bacteria by simply blocking the cell walls hence this cells can’t reproduce.

This medication is given intravenously; that is through the vein or muscle. The dosage for this medication mainly depends on the patient’s medical condition and further observation to response to treatment.

• Each year, lives are lost due to the spread of infections in hospitals and other healthcare settings. Infection control procedures are a vital part of health care and patient safety measures used by every member of the healthcare team both in the United States and globally.
• Screening areas, treatment centres and community facilities are part of the strategic priorities for Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) outbreak preparedness, readiness and response. The SARI Facilities training package has been developed to meet the operational needs emerging with the COVID-19 pandemic.

19. Clindamycin

Clindamycin is yet another strong antibiotic used to treat a wide array of bacterial infections. Clindamycin mainly works by stopping the growth of bacteria that causes diseases.

Other than treating patients with severe bacterial infectious diseases, this drug is used before dental procedures on patients with various heart conditions to prevent serious infections on the heart. Some side effects that may occur with this drug include vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea.

18. Trimethoprim (TMP)

Trimethoprim, abbreviated as TMP, is a strong antibiotic used for the treatment of urinary tract infections as well as respiratory infections.

17. Tigecycline

Tigecycline is an intravenous antibiotic medication used to treat complicated intra-abdominal infections or skin infections. Tigecycline works by binding itself to bacterial ribosomes and stopping them from producing the cell proteins.

This antibiotic is not meant to kill bacteria rather it is used to stop bacteria from multiplying. Common side effects of this drug include nausea and vomiting.

16. Cefepime

Cefepime is a widely known antibiotic known to treat a wide array of bacterial infections. It is known to work by ceasing the growth of bacteria. Cefepime belongs to a strong class of antibiotics referred to cephalosporin antibiotics.

Cefepime medication is given intravenously into a vein or muscle. This drug is not to be taken by children, pregnant women or nursing mothers. Some of the common side effects reported include redness, pain at injection site, or swelling.

15. Piperacillin/Tazobactam

Piperacillin/Tazobactam is an antibiotic medication that belongs to the Penicillin class of antibiotics. This is a strong antibiotic because it has the ability to neutralize some bacterial infections by blocking the bacteria cell wall growth.

Therefore, it can be used for treating moderate to severe bacterial infection diseases. Like other medicines, Piperacillin/Tazobactam has a record of causing some side effects to some people including pain, swelling, and redness at the injection site, vomiting, headache or diarrhea.

14. Co-trimoxazole

Co-trimoxazole is a strong antibiotic drug mainly because it is a combination of two powerful sulfonamide antibiotics called trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole.

This drug is usually prescribed for killing the germs and bacteria that are responsible for killing some serious infections.

This strong drug has been known to cause some side effects such as skin rashes, diarrhea, feeling sick and headaches.

13. Meropenem

Merrem which is short for Meropenem is a member of the Carbapenems a class of antibiotics that has a wide spectrum of bacteria killing power.

Merrem is an antibiotic that is used to treat severe infections of the stomach or the skin, it is also used to treat bacterial meningitis which is the infection of the spinal cord or the brain.

If you have a history of being allergic to antibiotic medications, are a nursing mother or you are pregnant, Meropenem is not recommended.

12. Linezolid

Linezolid is a strong antibiotic drug that is mostly used as a “drug of the last result”. Linezolid is one of the few if not lone anti-MRSA drug that is administered orally. Linezolid is a type of medication used to treat infections that are caused by some bacteria that are mostly resistant to other antibiotics.

This drug can either be administered by injection or taken orally. The most frequently reported side effects for Linezolid include decreased hemoglobin, anemia, and thrombocytopenia.

11. Cefepime

Commonly known as it is known as Cephalosporin, Cefepime is an antibiotic that works well when combined with other antibiotics to treat a certain infection in combination therapy.

This medication is inseminated to the body through injection via vein or muscle. There may be a hint of redness and pain at the injection site. This drug may also cause vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea.

10. Doxycycline

Doxycycline is a strong antibiotic that belongs to a class of antibiotics known as Tetracycline’s which is a broad spectrum of drugs that treat various bacterial infectious diseases.

Doxycycline is used to treat malaria, sinus infections as well as middle ear infections. Some of its side effects include sensitive skin and kidney impairment. This drug is also not recommended for nursing mothers, pregnant women, and children.

9. Metronidazole

This is a common antibiotic used to treat vaginal infections, respiratory tracts, skin joints, and stomach infections. This medication, however, is not used for treating vaginal yeast infections.

Other than that, it is used for an anaerobic bacterial infection that is found in the intestines. Metronidazole is not recommended for nursing mothers or pregnant women.

8. Aztreonam

Aztreonam is an antibiotic used solely to treat gram-negative bacteria infections. This is a strong antibiotic that fights life-threatening or severe bacterial ribosomes. Some of the bacterial infections this antibiotic is known to treat include skin, female reproductive organ infections, stomach and lower respiratory bacterial infections.

Aztreonam medication is mainly administered through injection, though, a powder form for inhalation is available. Some of the common side effects associated with the usage of this medication include fever, cough, difficulty in breathing and chest discomfort.

7. Polymyxin B (Colistin)

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This is an extremely potent antibiotic. It is used as a strong antibiotic when other antibiotics prove ineffective.

It causes some side effects such as redness, irritation of skin causes inside effects and burning. Though, these are not paramount to all patients.

6. Levofloxacin

This is one of the most effective oral antibiotics. This drug belongs to a class of antibiotics known as Quinolones. This is simply a class of drugs that treats bactericidal infections.

The Levofloxacin drug is mostly associated with treating tendon problems; a disease associated with people who are 60 years old and more. It is not recommended to patients who may be pregnant or have a history of allergies to other diseases.

Unfortunately, this drug is also associated with some mild side effects including nausea, diarrhea, insomnia and constipation.

5. Ampicillin

Ampicillin like its name suggests belongs to the class of antibiotics known as Penicillin. Ampicillin is a powerful antibiotic that only works for bacterial infection related diseases.

This drug is useful for urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal infections and bacterial meningitis. Some of its common side effects noted include vomiting, throat infections, redness of the mouth and difficulty in breathing.

4. Azithromycin (Zithromax)

Azithromycin is a strong antibiotic used for treating sexually transmitted diseases, ear infections, and skin infections. This drug belongs to a class of antibiotics known as Macrolides.

Some of its side effects include a headache, diarrhea, and nausea. In case you have a liver problem or jaundice, this drug is not recommended.

3. Erythromycin

Erythromycin is a type of antibiotic that is effective in treating middle ear infections and respiratory infections. This is a strong type of antibiotic that belongs to a class of antibiotics known as macrolide antibiotics.

Seeing that this drug is so strong, some mild side effects are bound to happen to some people including difficulty in breathing or even swelling of tongue, throat, lips and face. In case the patient starts to diarrhea, it is recommended that they discontinue usage of this drug.

Moreover, if you have a heart rhythm disorder or liver disease, it is wise to inform your doctor before using this medication.

2. Vancomycin

Vancomycin is usually taken as a drug of last resort so as to keep the body’s resistance to bacterial high. Vancomycin is a very useful drug against bacterial infections such as bloodstream infections, skin infections, bone and joint infections as well as endocarditis.

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Additionally, Vancomycin is every potent against most gram-positive organisms. It is given slowly intravenously to the patient. In case this medication is injected too fast, pain, tenderness, and redness may occur thus, a lot of care should be taken.

1. Ciprofloxacin

Arguably the strongest antibiotic in the market, Ciprofloxacin is a type of antibiotic that belongs to a group of a drug called Fluoroquinolones. Ciprofloxacin is used to treat respiratory infections, anthrax, bacterial diarrhea, diverticulitis and prostate infections. The dosage of this drug is usually twice (every 13 hours) a day with a glass of water. It should not be taken with any dairy products like milk or yogurt.

Moreover, this drug is not recommended for children, nursing mothers or pregnant women. The usage of Ciprofloxacin could result in a number of side effects like a headache, swelling or even tearing a tendon.

Therefore, this drug should always be taken under doctor’s prescription only.

The above list consists of the top 20 strongest antibiotics available in the market. Each one of them is beneficial for a particular type of infection and does exemplary well in fighting various bacteria.

However, it is always advisable, scratch that, it is mandatory you consult a health physician before you embark on any dosage. Some of this antibiotics have severe side effects that may be harmful to your health or even lead to death. Therefore, take great care.

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