Antibiotic resistance is a public health problem that makes urinary tract infections and infections in other organs increasingly difficult to treat. Although bacterial resistance was once restricted to hospitals, nowadays community acquired infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria are becoming increasingly more common. This review article reflects on the risks associated with antibiotic resistance and the emergence of resistance to alternative antibiotic treatments available for the successful treatment of urinary tract infections; it also considers key points concerning the proper use of diagnostic tests and the antibiotic drugs used to diagnose and treat these infections.