Analyzing 15.7 million patient records in England from 2019 to 2023, this study found that antibiotics are often prescribed for common infections – such as upper and lower respiratory tract infections and urinary tract infections – without consideration of a patient’s risk of complications or likelihood of hospital admission. The findings, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, suggest there is significant potential to reduce antibiotic prescribing by focusing more on risk-based assessments.
The researchers observed that factors such as age and underlying health conditions had little influence on whether antibiotics were prescribed. Surprisingly, younger and generally healthier patients were more likely to receive antibiotics, despite often being able to recover without them. In contrast, older and potentially more vulnerable patients were less likely to receive the drugs, which could increase their risk of complications and hospitalization. This discrepancy raises concerns about the under-treatment of high-risk patients, as well as the overuse of antibiotics in low-risk cases contributing to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
To read how long-term use of antibiotics may raise the risk of bowel cancer, see this article on our website.
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April 11, 2025Study Exposes Huge Levels of Untargeted Antibiotic Prescribing in England
News
Doctors in England are prescribing antibiotics for tens of thousands of patients with infections, with little or no consideration of prognosis and the risk of the infection worsening, according to a new study led by University of Manchester epidemiologists.
[Source: medicalxpress.com]
[Image source: Adobe Stock]
Comment
Analyzing 15.7 million patient records in England from 2019 to 2023, this study found that antibiotics are often prescribed for common infections – such as upper and lower respiratory tract infections and urinary tract infections – without consideration of a patient’s risk of complications or likelihood of hospital admission. The findings, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, suggest there is significant potential to reduce antibiotic prescribing by focusing more on risk-based assessments.
The researchers observed that factors such as age and underlying health conditions had little influence on whether antibiotics were prescribed. Surprisingly, younger and generally healthier patients were more likely to receive antibiotics, despite often being able to recover without them. In contrast, older and potentially more vulnerable patients were less likely to receive the drugs, which could increase their risk of complications and hospitalization. This discrepancy raises concerns about the under-treatment of high-risk patients, as well as the overuse of antibiotics in low-risk cases contributing to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
To read how long-term use of antibiotics may raise the risk of bowel cancer, see this article on our website.
Dr. Rath Health Foundation
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