Most bronchitis will not be helped by antibiotic treatment

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Antibiotics are being prescribed unnecessarily for cases of bronchitis, according to a survey.
Bronchitis, an infection of the lungs, can be caused either by viruses or bacteria. Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria, yet are often used to treat viral infections. Not only does this expose the patient to side effects without any accompanying therapeutic benefit, it also spreads antibiotic resistance - a growing public health problem.

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have carried out a survey which reveals that almost all known causes of bronchitis are, in fact, viral. But 70 to 80 per cent of individuals diagnosed with bronchitis are treated with antibiotics for five to ten days. They are also frequently prescribed cough medications of no proven benefit. Therefore doctors should start to educate their patients away from antibiotics for bronchitis, apart from in those rare cases where they can be effective. And patients should not expect an automatic antibiotic prescription for a chest infection.

Source
New England Journal of Medicine 15th November 2006

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