Antibiotics Are a Double-Edged Sword

Antibiotic resistance is a real and growing danger, albeit one whose worst trends have been tempered somewhat as the public is awakening to the threat. But lost in the conversation about overprescription and resistance, is the discussion about where...

Antibiotic resistance is a real and growing danger, albeit one whose worst trends have been tempered somewhat as the public is awakening to the threat.

But lost in the conversation about overprescription and resistance, is the discussion about where and why this problem seems to be most deeply rooted in doctor practice. Harvard Health recently described a JAMA study that examined some of the data:

The authors noted that variations in prescribing patterns could be related to regional location and the patient’s age, but based on recommended expert guidelines; they estimated that 30% of outpatient oral antibiotic prescriptions may have been inappropriate.

This is a big number. It’s getting better, but it absolutely dwarfs any comparable measure of doctor misdiagnosis or unnecessary treatment.

My LA sinus practice exercises restraint as a matter of policy when it comes to the use of antibiotics: They are for clear signs of bacterial load, in patients whose symptoms have manifested past any reasonable threshold of a viral issue.