Prudent Antibiotic Use Guidelines
"The biggest problem is inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics. Tens of millions of antibiotics prescribed in doctors' offices are for viral infections, which are not treatable with antibiotics. There are many reasons for this, including demand from patients, time pressure on physicians, and diagnostic uncertainty. The patient wants to get back to work or get the child back to school, and the doctor wants the patient to feel satisfied with treatment. The result is over-prescribing of antibiotics, resulting in the development of resistant bacteria. The best way to combat this practice is to educate the physicians and the public to decrease both demand and over prescribing In addition, providing clinicians with better means of diagnosing respiratory tract infections may remove some of the uncertainty that promotes over prescribing."
Richard Besser, M.D. - Medical Director for CDC's National Campaign for Appropriate Antibiotic Use
Adult Guidelines*:
Principles of Appropriate Antibiotic Use for Treatment of Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Adults (Annals of Internal Medicine, 20 March 2001, Volume 134, Issue 6)
Background, Specific Aims, and Methods
Antibiotic Use for Nonspecific URI
Antibiotic Use for Acute Sinusitis
Diagnosis and Management of Cough: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines: provides recommendations for identifying and treating everything from the common cold to chronic lung conditions (Irwin RS et al. Chest. 2006;129(suppl): 1S-292S).
Pediatric Guidelines*:
Otitis Media with Effusion - Pediatrics , 2004
Acute Otitis Media - Pediatrics , 2004
Judicious Use of Antibiotics for Pediatric URI - Pediatrics , 1998
Standards, Practice Guidelines, and Statements Developed and/or Endorsed by IDSA :
Infectious Disease Society of America
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