Silver as an element is widely used in manufacturing, the cosmetic industry and in the medical field. Colloidal silver, produced by suspension of elemental particles in a liquid is the form that is applied in medical practice. The colloid was at one time the most popular antibiotic all over the world. Its popularity has dipped steadily over the years thanks to the discovery of better drugs.
One of the characteristics of a good antibiotic is that it has a therapeutic effect at very small quantities. In pharmacological terms, the antibiotic is said to have a high efficacy. Related to the same, it should also have a wide therapeutic range meaning harmful effects are only seen with very high doses. Unlike many of the commonly used drugs currently, the colloid does not strictly meet these requirements. This, compounded to the fact that it is more expensive to produce are the reasons why it is no longer routinely used.
The colloid is effective against many organisms that infect the skin and mucosal body cavities. One of the uses that has persisted over the years is its incorporation in endotracheal tubes to act as prophylaxis against pneumonia. Such a measure is necessary in patients requiring intubation during general anesthesia or those that require prolonged ventilator support in intensive care units. The same principle has been applied to cardiac and orthopedic prostheses.
Several types of formulations have been created for use. They include, ointments, wound dressings and creams. The creams are widely used to treat burn wounds. Their effective in this area stems from the fact that the cream prevents excessive water loss in the form of evaporation and also kills microbial organisms at the site. Dressings impregnated with the colloid are effective in managing chronic diabetic wounds.
To make it more effective, the element is compounded with various salts. A combination with nitrate for example, produces silver nitrate an important component of eye ointment. The ointment is usually administered to newborn babies to act as prophylaxis against conjunctivitis. The nitrate also has useful effects against skin conditions such as warts and corns.
One of the most dramatic side effects of using silver compounds in high doses or over a prolonged period of time is a condition termed agyria. This condition manifests as a color change to the skin to blue or gray in areas of the skin where accumulation of the element has taken place. Since the effects are most pronounced in the hands and on the face. A reaction between sunlight and the element is believed to be the cause.
The element can also accumulate in other organs other than the skin. Those that are frequently affected include the brain, the kidneys, the heart and the liver. This is most likely to take place in cases of sustained use and when very high doses are involved. This complication has the potential to cause organ shutdown. There is no effective treatment available at the moment but laser therapy is still in experimental stages.
There is no doubt that the use of silver based treatments has greatly reduced over the years. There are some applications, however, that have persisted. When using the products due caution should be taken due to the likelihood of detrimental effects particular in very high doses. For this reason, the use of such therapies should only be done as guided by a prescription.
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