| Doctors are unnecessarily prescribing antibiotics | | | | them relief. They are aware of these drugs. They |
| for sinus infections. According to the study | | | | want prompt relief from the annoying symptoms |
| published in the March issue of Archives of | | | | of sinusitis. It's no wonder why doctors are giving |
| Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, US, | | | | in to their demands. |
| antibiotics were prescribed for 82 per cent of | | | | Although there are several tests to find out |
| acute sinus infections and nearly 70 per cent of | | | | whether a sinus infection is caused by bacteria, |
| chronic sinus infections. | | | | they are often expensive and lengthy. The first |
| This is a shocking finding as antibiotics can only kill | | | | test is an endoscopy, which involves inserting a |
| bacteria and most sinus infections are caused by | | | | small tube-like instrument into the nose to collect |
| viruses, allergies or hormonal changes. | | | | a sample of mucus from the sinus cavities. The |
| The study, by Hadley J. Sharp and colleagues at | | | | second test is a nasal cytology, whereby a swab |
| the University of Nebraska Medical Center, | | | | of mucus is taken from the lining of the nose to |
| Omaha, US, used national data from 1999 and | | | | be examined. The third is taking an x-tray. |
| 2002 to determine the drugs that were | | | | It is often difficult for doctors to determine the |
| prescribed for sinus infections by general | | | | cause of a sinus infection just from observation. |
| practitioners, outpatient and emergency | | | | Even specialist doctors are not able to diagnose |
| departments. The data came from 2 national | | | | the specific cause without carrying out any tests. |
| surveys by the National Center of Health | | | | The symptoms of sinus infections are similar |
| Statistics and was representative of the US | | | | whether it's caused by bacteria, virus, allergy or |
| population. | | | | other factors. |
| There are 2 types of sinus infections: acute and | | | | On the prevalent use of antibiotics, the |
| chronic. Acute sinusitis occurs for up to 4 weeks | | | | researchers suggest that doctors could be |
| and is caused by infectious agents. Chronic sinusitis | | | | treating secondary infections. Another possible |
| is usually defined as an infection with symptoms | | | | explanation is doctors think that antibiotics work |
| that are persistent for more than 12 weeks. It | | | | when their patients get better taking them. |
| can be caused by allergies, hormonal changes or | | | | However, many infections resolve with or without |
| facial anatomy. | | | | treatment. |
| There are currently no effective drugs for chronic | | | | The researchers are concerned about the |
| sinusitis. According to Dr. Donald A. Leopold, | | | | overuse of antibiotics giving rise to drug |
| chairman of the department of otolaryngology at | | | | resistance and virulence of infectious bacteria. |
| the University of Nebraska Medical Center, | | | | Although the public are aware of the increasing |
| antibiotics are the best of a bad lot. | | | | antibiotic resistance, many sinusitis sufferers are |
| Many patients would call up their doctors and | | | | likely to continue demanding for antibiotics. |
| demand for specific antibiotics that may give | | | | |