|
|
Article: Doctors overprescribing antibiotics for sinus infections.
- Article from:
- Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, NE)
- Article date:
- March 19, 2007
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Omaha World-Herald. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: Julie Anderson
Mar. 19--The headache, the pressure, the runny nose. It's all part of a sinus infection, and many of us head to a doctor to seek relief.
But too often, according to a new study by University of Nebraska Medical Center researchers, doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat the condition, despite the fact that about 90 percent of them are caused by viruses, which aren't vulnerable to the drugs.
In fact, the study, whose results were released Monday, found that antibiotics were prescribed for about 82 percent of acute sinus infections and for nearly 70 percent of chronic sinus infections. The study was based on data from two ...