Acute Bronchitis Antibiotics

America has diagnosed a number of cases of otitis media, sinusitis, URIs, pharyngitis, acute bronchitis, etc every year. In order to treat the same, a number of prescriptions are written. As per research, it has been found that nearly 70% of the individuals are prescribed unnecessary antibiotics to treat bronchitis alone every year. Though there have been a lot of media advertising that there is no need of antibiotics for treating acute bronchitis, physicians have been prescribing antibiotics for its treatment.

Researchers explain that more patients have started to show resistance to antibiotics since their unnecessary usage for acute bronchitis. If this prolongs, people almost all over the world will need to face serious complications. The diseases, COPD and acute bronchitis are vastly different. Antibiotics are needed only for treating COPD, but for acute bronchitis, it is strictly not recommended, owing to the cases of acute bronchitis being viral.

There are signs to identify the viral bronchitis easily. Purulent sputum is one that is specific for acute bronchitis. It provides the necessary evidence for the infection being viral and not bacterial at any case. When the right support and treatment is undertaken, the disease can last only for a period of seven days. In case of worsening symptoms after this period, antibiotic usage is permitted though the infection is non-viral.

The following represent the cases where antibiotic usage for treating acute bronchitis is needed though it is mostly not needed.

1. If cough perseveres, antibiotic usage is recommended. Very few patients affected by viral bronchitis develop long-term cough. Antibiotics must be used if there has been no relief from bronchodilators even after 48 hours of its usage. Those bacteria that can cause persistent cough include the following
a. Chlamydia pneumonia
b. Mycoplasm pneumonia
c. Bordetella pertussis
All these three can easily be treated using macrolide, an antibiotic. Azithromycin is normally given since it has fewer side effects compared to erythromycin. You need to take a 5-day course including azithromycin that amounts to $38.

2. If the symptoms turn out to be frustrating in spite of being on medication course, the bronchitis patients need to be re-examined for the presence of any bacterial infections. You must remember that acute bronchitis is mostly viral and also disappears in a week’s time. However, if the symptoms worsen, you need to visit a doctor soon.