Most Antibiotics Prescribed to Older Adults Are Unnecessary

While most adults over the age of 50 understand that antibiotic overuse is a problem and are cautious about taking the drugs, a sizable minority have used antibiotics for purposes other than their intended purpose, and appear to believe the drugs could help treat colds, which are caused by viruses rather than bacteria. A recent study found that three out of every four antibiotic prescriptions for adults aged 65 and up are unneeded.

"Our findings show that black and Hispanic/Latin patients may be mistreated and receive antibiotic prescriptions when they are not needed," said study author Eric Young of the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio in a statement.

The risks of needless medications are especially high for senior people, according to Young. "Inappropriate prescribing in primary care is related to a wide range of unfavorable outcomes in older persons, including emergency hospital visits and hospitalizations, adverse medication events, and lower quality of life," Young added.

Between 2009 and 2016, researchers examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on prescriptions dispensed during outpatient visits for more than 5.7 billion adults and 1.3 billion children.

According to the data, 11% of those patient visits resulted in antibiotic prescriptions.

Antibiotics should be used solely to treat bacterial illnesses such as strep throat, bloodstream infections, bacterial pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and certain forms of ear infections. Antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections like the flu and should not be used to treat them.

According to the findings, when antibiotics were administered incorrectly in the study, clinicians most often offered medications to treat viral infections, bronchitis, or skin issues unrelated to bacterial infections.

"We know that doctors usually send patients home with antibiotics if they feel their symptoms are due to an infection," Young explained. "When patients are unlikely to return for a follow-up visit or have no established treatment in a clinic or hospital system, which occurs more frequently in minority communities, this technique becomes more popular."

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