The management of upper respiratory tract infections

2013 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 97-105
Author(s):  
R Rennie ◽  
B Rennie
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Differential Diagnosis ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Clinical Picture ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

AbstractUpper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), generally termed colds, sore throats and coughs, are common presentations in primary care. This article discusses the clinical picture, management, significant differential diagnosis, and specifically, when antibiotics may be required for an URTI.

scholarly journals Treatment of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Primary Care: A Randomized Study Using Aromatic Herbs

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eran Ben-Arye ◽  
Nativ Dudai ◽  
Anat Eini ◽  
Moshe Torem ◽  
Elad Schiff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Essential Oils ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

This study is a prospective randomized double-blind controlled trial whose aim was to investigate the clinical effects of aromatic essential oils in patients with upper respiratory tract infections. The trial was conducted in six primary care clinics in northern Israel. A spray containing aromatic essential oils of five plants (Eucalyptus citriodora, Eucalyptus globulus, Mentha piperita, Origanum syriacum,andRosmarinus officinalis)as applied 5 times a day for 3 days and compared with a placebo spray. The main outcome measure was patient assessment of the change in severity of the most debilitating symptom (sore throat, hoarseness or cough). Sixty patients participated in the study (26 in the study group and 34 in the control group). Intention-to-treat analysis showed that 20 minutes following the spray use, participants in the study group reported a greater improvement in symptom severity compared to participants in the placebo group (). There was no difference in symptom severity between the two groups after 3 days of treatment (). In conclusion, spray application of five aromatic plants reported in this study brings about significant and immediate improvement in symptoms of upper respiratory ailment. This effect is not significant after 3 days of treatment.

scholarly journals Results from a Patient-Based Health Education Intervention in Reducing Antibiotic Use for Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in the Private Sector Primary Care Setting in Singapore

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalene Hui Min Lee ◽  
Darius Shaw Teng Pan ◽  
Joyce Huixin Huang ◽  
Mark I-Cheng Chen ◽  
Joash Wen Chen Chong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Care Setting ◽  
Primary Care Setting ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

ABSTRACT We investigated the efficacy of patient-targeted education in reducing antibiotic prescriptions for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) among adults in the private primary care setting in Singapore. Our randomized controlled trial enrolled patients aged 21 years and above presenting at general practitioner (GP) clinics with URTI symptoms for 7 days or less. Intervention arm patients were verbally educated via pamphlets about the etiology of URTIs, the role of antibiotics in treating URTIs, and the consequences of inappropriate antibiotic use. Control arm patients were educated on influenza vaccinations. Both arms were compared regarding the proportions prescribed antibiotics and the patients' postconsultation views. A total of 914 patients consulting 35 doctors from 24 clinics completed the study (457 in each arm). The demographics of patients in both arms were similar, and 19.1% were prescribed an antibiotic, but this varied from 0% to 70% for individual GPs. The intervention did not significantly reduce antibiotic prescriptions (odds ratio [OR], 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83–1.73) except in patients of Indian ethnicity (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.09–0.93). Positive associations between the intervention and the view that antibiotics were not needed most of the time for URTIs (P = 0.047) and on being worried about the side effects of antibiotics (P = 0.018) were restricted to the Indian subgroup. GPs in limited liability partnerships or clinic chains prescribed less (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.92), while certain inappropriate patient responses were associated with the receipt of antibiotics. Follow-up studies to investigate differences in responses to educational programs between ethnicities and to explore GP-targeted interventions are recommended.

scholarly journals Comparison of paracetamol and diclofenac prescribing preferences for adults in primary care

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilara Bayram ◽  
Volkan Aydin ◽  
Abdullah Sanli ◽  
Mustafa Naci Abanoz ◽  
Busra Sibic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Analgesic Drugs ◽  
Common Diagnosis ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

Abstract Introduction: The most frequently prescribed analgesic drugs in primary care centers in Turkey are diclofenac and paracetamol, respectively. In this study, we aimed to compare paracetamol-included prescriptions (PIP) and diclofenac-included prescriptions (DIP) generated for adult patients in primary care. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, PIPs (n = 280 488) and DIPs (n = 337 935) created for adults by systematic sampling among primary care physicians working in Istanbul in 2016 (n = 1431) were examined. The demographic characteristics, diagnoses, and additional drugs in PIPs and DIPs were compared. Results: Women constituted the majority in both groups (69.8% and 67.9%, respectively; P < 0.05), and mean age at PIP (52.6 ± 18.8 years) was lower compared to DIP (56.3 ± 16.1 years), (P < 0.05). In single-diagnosis prescriptions, 11 of the 15 most common diagnoses in PIP were respiratory tract infections (47.9%); three pain-related diagnoses formed 4.6% of all these prescriptions. In DIP, the number of pain-related diagnoses, mostly of musculoskeletal origin, was eight (28.5%); four diagnoses (7.8%) were upper respiratory tract infections. While hypertension was the third most common diagnosis in PIP (6.1%), it was ranked first in DIP (8.0%). The percentage of prescriptions with additional analgesic (14.0% versus 18.3%, P < 0.001), proton-pump inhibitor (13.8% versus 18.4%; P < 0.001), and antihypertensive (22.0% versus 24.8%, P < 0.001) was lower in PIP compared to DIP. However, the percentage of prescriptions with antibiotics (31.3% versus 14.7%, P < 0.001) was higher in PIP. Conclusion: Paracetamol appears to be preferred mostly in upper respiratory tract infections compared to the preference of diclofenac rather in painful/inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions. The presence of hypertension among the most commonly encountered diagnoses for these analgesic drugs points to challenges in establishing the diagnosing-treatment match and indicates potential irrational prescribing practice, especially for interactions.

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