Evaluation of the Patients’ Conditions with Respiratory Tract Infections and Interventions to Prevent Taking Antibiotics in these Patients

Overuse and inappropriate antibiotic prescription for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are among the major contributors to the current antibiotic resistance problem. ARIs are among the most common infections, and due to their high prevalence, they are of great importance and can play a vital role in mortality among children and adults. Therefore, this study aimed to train physicians in terms of communication skills with patients to reduce the use of antibiotic, which results in minimizing antibiotic resistance, proper use of antibiotics when it is necessary to use, and minimize self-medication, which ultimately leads to reducing costs.

This cross-sectional study was conducted to control antibiotic consumption in patients with respiratory infections referring to physicians.

The results of this study showed that cefixime and co-amoxiclav antibiotics were the least and the most prescribed by gastroenterologists and hepatologists, as well as pediatricians, respectively. In addition, according to the results, cefixime antibiotic showed statistically significant results (P<0.05).

The results revealed a reduction in the prescriptions of cefixime and amoxicillin by general physicians, amoxicillin, cefixime, and azithromycin by pediatricians, and co-amoxiclav by infectious disease specialists. However, there was an increase in antibiotic prescriptions by gastroenterologists and hepatologists which could lead to resistance increase, and consequently, the treatment failure. Accordingly, it is of necessary importance to take measures and implement instructions for logical prescription of antibiotics leading to infection control, reducing antibiotic resistance, reducing the length of patients’ hospital stay, as well as mortality due to infection, and reducing treatment costs for patients and hospitals.