Antibiotics ineffective in beating bronchitis

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An interesting article on Healthday.com discusses a study out of Virginia Commonwealth University in which two physicians looked at research studies, clinical trials and other information related to bronchitis, and determined that antibiotics don't actually help these patients.

"Physicians should be encouraged to avoid antibiotics in most cases," said Dr. Richard P. Wenzel, chairman of the department of internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth and one of the authors of the report.

By taking antibiotics when they're not really needed, patients contribute to the development of more resistant bacteria. The article notes that doctors continue to prescribe antibiotics when they are not needed, estimating that 70 to 80 percent of bronchitis patients receive antibiotics.