When and why are antibiotics indicated in airway infections (except pneumonia) ?
Brändli, O.; Luterbacher, T.; Egli, N.
Praxis 86(18): 737-740
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 1661-8157 PMID: 9244962 Document Number: 475199
Infections of the upper airways reduce life quality of adults on average twice, that of children even 4 to 8 times a year. Usually these are viral infections subsiding spontaneously without antibiotics. Only if concomittant circumstances arise and in specific clinical situations (otitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, epiglottitis) as well as in acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis are antibiotics already indicated at first consultation. The physician who is usually consulted by a patient with increasing discomfort under self-medication and who is expecting an antibiotic treatment has next to the clinical findings and prior laboratory test results to consider before all the individual (home, workplace, school) and epidemiologic (influenza) situation, the possible pathogens, their susceptibility to antibiotics as well as the side effects and costs for the decision to prescribe antibiotics. Today because of an increasing pressure of selection for pathogens resistant to antibiotics a greater reluctance to prescribe antibiotics is recommended. This requires close follow-up of the patient with symptomatic treatment or only short "probatory" antibiotic therapy and a good patient-physician relationship.