Posted: 12/11/08
Doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat many types of bacterial infections. Availability of these drugs is more common now that a prescription card may help to lower the cost of these drugs.Viral infections like sinusitis, most sore throats, bronchitis, runny noses, and the flu are upper respiratory tract infections that usually cannot be cured with antibiotics. However, each year, health care providers prescribe tens of millions of antibiotics for viral infections.
"Antibiotic overuse is a serious problem and a threat to everyone's health," says Dr. Lauri Hicks, medical director of CDC's Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work program. By taking antibiotics when you don't need them or not taking them as prescribed, you increase the risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment. Dr. Hicks suggests that patients not insist on antibiotic treatment when their health care provider says they are not needed. Let your body do its work and follow your doctor's recommendations.
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