In treatment plan for a 49-year-old female, it is possible to find a lot of important information regarding the therapy for a urinary tract infection and ways of preventing recurrent infections. In most cases, the proposed trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is discussed as an effective medication to cope with urinary tract infections caused by different types of bacteria. Still, it is important to pay attention to the results of the urinalysis in order to prescribe the most effective antimicrobial medication. The problem is that, according to the recent studies in the field, the resistance of E. coli to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole increased, and it is important to pay more attention to monitoring changes in the patient’s state to contribute to treating the condition and preventing recurrent infections (Al-Badr & Al-Shaikh, 2013; Olorunmola, Kolawole, & Lamikanra, 2013). If trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is viewed as ineffective for the case of the patient, it is possible to prescribe another drug which belongs to the latest generation of antimicrobial medications.
The practitioner provided effective recommendations in order to help the patient prevent urinary tract infections in the future. It is also possible to add some notes to the presented list. It is important to recommend avoiding the use of deodorant sprays, lotions, and powders for the genital area because they can cause allergic reactions and irritations (Al-Badr & Al-Shaikh, 2013; Woo & Robinson, 2016). Furthermore, it is necessary to reconsider birth control methods used by Martha before her menopause. It is appropriate to use condoms that do not provoke allergic reactions, but the use of diaphragms and spermicides should be limited because these products can contribute to increasing the number of bacteria in the vagina and urethra.
References
Al-Badr, A., & Al-Shaikh, G. (2013). Recurrent urinary tract infections management in women: A review. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 13(3), 359-367.
Olorunmola, F. O., Kolawole, D. O., & Lamikanra, A. (2013). Antibiotic resistance and virulence properties in Escherichia coli strains from cases of urinary tract infections. African Journal of Infectious Diseases, 7(1), 1-7.
Woo, T. M., & Robinson, M. V. (2016). Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurse prescribers (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company.