Research suggests that 80% of people occasionally miss a dose of medication, so it is important to know what to do if this happens.

Antibiotics are usually taken between one and four times a day. Ideally your doses should be equally spaced throughout the day and taken at the same times each day. This helps to maintain a constant level of antibiotic in your bloodstream.

If you have missed one dose of antibiotic

In most cases, if you have missed one dose of antibiotic, you should not double the next dose. Instead, you should continue taking your doses as normal. You should not take a double dose of antibiotic because this increases the risk of side effects.

If you have missed several doses of antibiotic

If you have missed several doses of your antibiotic, or more than one day's treatment, you should contact your doctor for advice, particularly if you have missed doses due to side effects, or illness.

If you find it difficult to remember to take your antibiotics, you may find some of the following ideas useful:

• Combine taking your antibiotic with one of your usual daily activities - for example, take it after you brush your teeth. However, you will first need to check if your antibiotic needs to be taken before or after food.
• Mark off in a diary, or on a wall calendar, after you take each dose.
• Set an alarm to act as a prompt for when your next dose is due.
  If you are still finding it difficult to remember to take your antibiotics, you should ask your pharmacist or doctor about 'compliance aids'. These are boxes that allow medicines to be put into labeled compartments. They can help by reminding you to take your antibiotics at specific times of the day, or on particular days of the week.

You should always finish a course of antibiotics, even if you start to feel better. If you do not finish the course, or you miss several doses, the infection may come back. You may also develop antibiotic resistance, which is where the bacteria in your body evolve to find ways of surviving the effects of the antibiotic. This may be a problem if you need future treatment for a similar infection.