Antibiotic use for viral acute XXXX remains common.

@entity1 @entity3617 @entity4580 @entity683 @entity1729
OBJECTIVES: To determine the type and number of antibiotic prescriptions filled in the 28 days following an index visit for acute @entity1729 (ARTIs) generally presumed to be viral. STUDY DESIGN: This was a secondary analysis of administrative data. METHODS: We linked administrative data for pharmacy, clinical encounters, and providers to identify all prescriptions for a relevant antibiotic filled within 28 days of an index visit for an ARTI. Data were analyzed descriptively. The primary outcome was whether or not the @entity1 was prescribed an antibiotic or anti- @entity683 medication for an episode of presumed viral ARTI. RESULTS: There were 54,656 encounters for presumed viral ARTI. Most visits (84.4%) were to a primary care clinician, with 12% to an urgent care center and 3.6% to the emergency department. Within 28 days of an encounter for a presumed @entity1729 , 49.4% of @entity1 filled an initial antibiotic prescription, 4.8% a prescription for an anti- @entity683 drug, and 1.2% received both. A second antibiotic prescription was filled after the initial prescription by 8.9% of @entity1 , and a third by 0.7%. Antibiotic use was most common for acute @entity3617 (67.8%) and in the urgent care setting (60.2%). Antibiotics were prescribed less often by pediatricians, whereas anti- @entity683 medications were prescribed most often for @entity1 aged 5 to 17 years by both pediatricians and family physicians. Antibiotic use has increased since 2007, when @entity4580 became a generic drug. CONCLUSIONS: Prescribing antibiotics for ARTIs that are likely to be viral in origin remains common, despite extensive public health educational efforts.
