Antibiotic prescribing rates in the US ambulatory care setting for patients diagnosed with influenza, 1997-2001

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health
• Pharmacoeconomics

Background:

• Influenza is a viral illness often treated inappropriately with antibiotics.
• Antibiotic overuse contributes to antimicrobial resistance and increased healthcare costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the rate and cost of antibiotic prescriptions for influenza in US ambulatory care.
• To analyze trends in antibiotic prescribing for influenza patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized federal survey data from 1997-2001 for outpatient trends.
• Estimated costs using Medicare payments and Red Book average wholesale prices (2003).
• Focused on all patients and healthy individuals aged 5-49 years.

Main Results:

• Antibiotic prescribing for influenza occurred in 38% of diagnosed visits.
• One-third of these prescriptions were for broad-spectrum antibiotics.
• Annual costs of inappropriate antibiotic use reached $18.5 million.

Conclusions:

• Widespread antibiotic prescribing for influenza is a significant issue in US ambulatory care.
• Inappropriate antibiotic use for influenza incurs substantial costs and contributes to resistance.
• Increased influenza vaccination and viral diagnostic testing could mitigate these trends.