viernes, 12 de noviembre de 2010

CDC - Blogs - Safe Healthcare – Antibiotic Prescriptions – Where you Live may Matter


Antibiotic Prescriptions – Where you Live may Matter

Categories: Infection Control in Healthcare

November 11th, 2010 8:38 am ET -
Get Smart Week

Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work

Author – Lauri Hicks, DO
CDC – Medical Director, Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work


As an infectious diseases physician and the medical director of CDC’s Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work program, I’ve repeatedly encountered patients with antibiotic-resistant infections. When antibiotics fail to work, the consequences are longer-lasting illnesses, more doctor visits or extended hospital stays, and the need for more expensive and stronger medications that may have side effects.

Much of this resistance is due to the repeated and often unnecessary use of antibiotics. Inappropriate prescribing and antibiotic use is particularly common during cough and cold season. Colds, most coughs and bronchitis, sore throats (except strep throat), and some ear infections, collectively known as upper respiratory infections, or URIs, are the main culprits behind inappropriate antibiotic treatment. Did you know that URIs account for over half of all antibiotics prescribed by office-based physicians? Most URIs are caused by viruses, and antibiotics are completely ineffective for treatment of viruses. Healthcare providers cite diagnostic uncertainty (uncertainty whether an illness is viral or bacterial), time pressure, and patient demand and expectations as the primary reasons why antibiotics are over-prescribed.

Interestingly, prescribing rates vary greatly across the United States. Recent dataExternal Web Site Icon. show outpatient antibiotic prescription rates in the Southeast were more than double those in the West. Future studies should evaluate the factors that are contributing to the geographic differences in antibiotic prescribing in the U.S. Also, improving our understanding of the demographic and cultural influences on prescribing could lead to targeted interventions to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use, which will ultimately save lives and healthcare dollars.

Are you concerned about antibiotic resistance in your community? What is your experience with antibiotic prescribing or use? What are some possible reasons why we see such marked variability in prescribing rates across the country?
CDC - Blogs - Safe Healthcare – Antibiotic Prescriptions – Where you Live may Matter

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