Cold kits cut antibiotic use and reduce prescriptions

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 14 Mar 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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A study says that cold care kits cut antibiotic use. These kits contain over-the-counter medicines. The study was carried out by scientists at the Minnesota Antibiotic Resistance Collaborative (MARC).

Researcher Pamela Gahr said 'Providing cough and cold care kits does appear to be a useful tool to use with patients who have upper respiratory illness or acute bronchitis to decrease unnecessary antibiotic use.'

The cold kits contain pain killers and decongestants, cough syrup and lozenges. They also contain chicken soup (powder) and tea (teabag). Minnesota health authorities handed out 31,000 of these kits during the 2001-2002 winter season.

Gahr said 'MARC was interested in a cost-benefit analysis. The health plans were spending a lot of money on these kits and were wondering if they were having any effect.'

The researchers looked at clinics that gave out these kits to people with upper respiratory illnesses or bronchitis to clinics that did not.

Those that got the kits were less likely to receive a prescription within three days than those who did not.

Gahr said that the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria is mainly due to the inappropriate use of antibiotics to treat viral illnesses.

Most upper respiratory infections and acute bronchitis cases are caused by viruses. Treating them with antibiotics, which targets bacteria is pointless.

Viral infections like these are best dealt with by resting and taking OTC medicines.

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