Prescription of antibacterial drugs for treatment of bronchitis and pneumonia in general practice in Denmark.
Phenoxymethyl penicillin is the drug of choice in the treatment of acute respiratory tract infection. The widespread use of a broadspectrum antibiotic indicates that practitioners use such a preparation in the absence of a proper microbiological diagnosis. A relatively high proportion of patients were treated with erythromycin. This may reflect the widespread misconception of allergy to penicillin among patients and doctors. Too many prescriptions for antibacterial drugs seem to be based on telephone contact.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003718:Denmark; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D010404:Penicillin V / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D004917:Erythromycin; D010404:Penicillin V