Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Wrong Antibiotic Prescribed Half the Time, Report Finds


People with sore throats, ear infections and sinus infections get the wrong antibiotic at least half the time, researchers reported Monday.

When people get the wrong antibiotic, not only are they often not cured, but it can help drug-resistant "superbugs" evolve, according to the researchers. 

They think part of the problem is that patients ask for easy-to-remember names such as "Z-Pack" and the study found that azithromycin, the Zithromax drug that gives Z-Packs the name, is among the most commonly misused drugs.  

"Overall, only 52 percent of patients treated with antibiotics for sinus infections, middle ear infections and pharyngitis (sore throat) received the first-line treatments recommended by prescribing guidelines," Dr. David Hyun, an infectious disease specialist at the Pew Charitable Trusts, told NBC News. 

Click here for the full article.

No comments: