Toluca, Mexico; November 19, 2023.
andExperts at drug distributor Cofares have warned that increased use of antibiotics linked to common illnesses such as flu, cystitis and toothache could lead to the development of bacterial resistance.
The threat of drug resistance is intensifying on the occasion of World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to the latest data on the subject from the Cofares Trend Observatory.
The report shows that about 35,000 people in Europe die from drug-resistant infections every year, and the cumulative demand for antibiotics has increased by 3% compared with before the epidemic.
The most common prescriptions for respiratory problems:
According to Cofares, the most common primary care prescriptions are those related to respiratory infections.
Between 44 and 98 per cent of prescriptions for these infections are classified as “inappropriate,” meaning their use “will not lead to a cure.”
Urinary tract infection, second most common:
According to Cofares, urinary tract infections are the second most common reason for antibiotic prescriptions after respiratory infections.
So much so that the document warns that one in four women with cystitis receive inappropriate antibiotic treatment.
Toothache accounts for 10%:
The Kofales Observatory also addressed the issue of “inappropriate” prescription amounts in other areas such as dentistry, where antibiotics are the most prescribed medicines.
Information from: EFE.