Prophylactic treatment

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Prophylactic Treatment

A Prophylactic Treatment is a preventive measure taken to ward off diseases or health conditions. The term "prophylactic" is derived from the Greek word "prophylaktikos", which means "guarding or preventing beforehand". This form of treatment is used in various fields of medicine, including vaccinology, dentistry, surgery, and sexual health.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Prophylactic treatments are designed to prevent the onset of diseases rather than treating them after they have occurred. They are often used in situations where there is a high risk of infection or disease, or to prevent the recurrence of a disease in a patient who has already been treated.

Types of Prophylactic Treatment[edit | edit source]

Primary Prophylaxis[edit | edit source]

Primary Prophylaxis aims to prevent the onset of a disease in individuals who have never had the disease but are at risk. This can include measures such as vaccinations, the use of condoms to prevent sexually transmitted infections, or the administration of antibiotics before surgery to prevent postoperative infections.

Secondary Prophylaxis[edit | edit source]

Secondary Prophylaxis is used to prevent the recurrence of a disease in individuals who have already had the disease. This can include the long-term use of antibiotics in patients with recurrent urinary tract infections, or the use of antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV to prevent the progression to AIDS.

Applications[edit | edit source]

Prophylactic treatments are used in a wide range of medical fields. In dentistry, for example, prophylactic treatments such as regular cleanings and the use of fluoride can help to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. In surgery, prophylactic antibiotics are often used to prevent postoperative infections. In sexual health, the use of condoms and other barrier methods can help to prevent sexually transmitted infections.

Risks and Considerations[edit | edit source]

While prophylactic treatments can be highly effective in preventing disease, they are not without risks. These can include side effects from medications, the potential for overuse or misuse of antibiotics leading to antibiotic resistance, and the potential for a false sense of security leading to risky behavior.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Medicine - Specialties and subspecialties
Surgery

Cardiac surgery - Cardiothoracic surgery - Colorectal surgery - Ophthalmology - General surgery - Neurosurgery - Oral and maxillofacial surgery - Orthopedic surgery - Hand surgery - Otolaryngology - ENT - Pediatric surgery - Plastic surgery - Reproductive surgery - Surgical oncology - Transplant surgery - Trauma surgery - Urology - Andrology - Vascular surgery

Medicine Internal medicine - Allergy / Immunology - Angiology - Cardiology - Endocrinology - Gastroenterology - Hepatology - Geriatrics - Hematology - Hospital medicine - Infectious disease - Nephrology - Oncology - Pulmonology - Rheumatology
Obstetrics and gynaecology Gynaecology - Gynecologic oncology - Maternal–fetal medicine - Obstetrics - Reproductive endocrinology and infertility - Urogynecology
Diagnostic Radiology - Interventional radiology - Nuclear medicine - Pathology - Anatomical - Clinical pathology - Clinical chemistry - Cytopathology - Medical microbiology - Transfusion medicine
Other specialties Addiction medicine - Adolescent medicine - Anesthesiology - Dermatology - Disaster medicine - Diving medicine - Emergency medicine - Family medicine - General practice - Hospital medicine - Intensive care medicine - Medical genetics - Narcology - Neurology - Clinical neurophysiology - Occupational medicine - Ophthalmology - Oral medicine - Pain management - Palliative care - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) - Preventive medicine - Psychiatry -Addiction psychiatry - Radiation oncology - Reproductive medicine - Sexual medicine - Sleep medicine - Sports medicine - Transplantation medicine - Tropical medicine - Travel medicine - Venereology
Medical education Medical school - USMLE - Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - Bachelor of Medical Sciences - Doctor of Medicine - Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine - Alternative medicine - Allied health - Dentistry - Podiatry - Pharmacy - Physiotherapy - Molecular oncology - Nanomedicine - Personalized medicine - Public health - Rural health - Therapy - Traditional medicine - Veterinary medicine - Physician - Chief physician - History of medicine
Misc. topics Health topics A-Z - Rare diseases - Drugs - Diet - Medicine portal - First Aid - Glossary of medicine - Health insurance - Glossary of health topics - Drug classes - Medicines - Dentistry portal - Pharmacology and Medications-Medications portal - Pharmacology portal - Psychiatry portal




Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD