Rational use of antibiotics to treat respiratory tract infections.
OBJECTIVE
To foster the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents for respiratory tract infections and to review factors that should help achieve this objective.


METHODS
Review of evidence-based guidelines and recommendations for proper antibiotic drug use for respiratory tract infections.


CONCLUSIONS
Antibiotic drug overuse and inappropriate antibiotic drug selection are associated with increased drug resistance among respiratory pathogens (most notably, Streptococcus pneumoniae), possible progression to chronic disease, and increased treatment costs. Awareness of clinical manifestations that help differentiate viral from bacterial infection and the use of guidelines can promote the appropriate management of respiratory tract infections. Community-acquired pneumonia, acute bacterial rhinosinusitis, and selected cases of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (50%) warrant antimicrobial therapy, whereas otitis media with effusion, acute bronchitis, and most rhinosinusitis are viral and do not require antibiotic therapy.
File
Thomas M
TM
Department of Medicine, Summa Health System, Akron, OH, USA. filet@summa-health.org
Hadley
James A
JA
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019468:Disease Management; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D014481:United States; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents