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Although most upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) are viral, studies show that physicians still prescribe antibiotics in many cases. Problems associated with inappropriate use of antibiotics range from unnecessary side effects to increased antimicrobial resistance. Researchers used the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to assess antibiotic prescribing trends in emergency department patients with URIs from 1993 through 2004.
The authors identified 23.4 million ED visits for URIs during the study period. Antibiotic prescribing decreased from a maximum of 55% of visits in 1993 to a low of 35% in 2004. Patients in the southern U.S. were more likely than those in other regions to receive antibiotics; black patients were less …