Most antibiotic prescribing in the UK is in primary care for patients with respiratory tract infections, but guidelines advise against their routine use in patients with upper respiratory tract infections except for chest infections in elderly people.
A BMJ study found that antibiotics reduce the risk of serious complications which is rare after upper respiratory tract infections, but over 4000 courses would have to be needed to prevent one complication. However, only 39 elderly patients would have to be treated with antibiotics for a chest infection to prevent a case of pneumonia.
The study concluded that there is a "clear scope for reductions in antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections" and " more research was needed to help doctors differentiate between chest infection and pneumonia"
Read the abstract "Protective effect of antibiotics against serious complications of common respiratory tract infections: retrospective cohort study with the UK General Practice Research Database" BMJ 2007, October
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