Respiratory Illness: How to avoid antibiotic overuse through education
It’s that time of year again when respiratory illnesses show up around the community in higher numbers and provider’s offices, clinics, and emergency rooms are filling up with people seeking treatment. So, the question is do they need antibiotics or supportive care?The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) lists respiratory infections as colds/runny nose, sore throat, excluding group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (strep throat), COVID-19, influenza, bronchitis or a chest cold, middle ear infections, sinus infections, and pertussis, epiglottitis and laryngitis (1,2). So when might you need to prescribe an antibiotic? Antibiotics would be appropriate for patients who test positive for pertussis, strep throat, or have epiglottitis. However, for other respiratory infections, the need for an antibiotics is based on presentation, duration of…
