20 de octubre de 2021
Antibiotics only treat certain bacterial infections and don’t work against viruses, which are often the cause of acute bronchitis, colds and flu. Según los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, en inglés) 
, at least 28% of antibiotics prescribed each year in doctor's offices and emergency departments aren't needed. We encourage providers to talk with our members about taking antibiotics only when necessary.
Por qué es importante
Antibiotics can cause side effects ranging from minor to severe, according to the CDC. These include rash, diarrhea, yeast infections and allergic reactions. Antibiotics also give bacteria a chance to become more resistant to them, making future infections harder to treat. More than 35,000 people die each year in the U.S. because of antibiotic-resistant infections , según los CDC.
Closing Care Gaps
We track Avoidance of Antibiotic Treatment for Acute Bronchitis/Bronchiolitis (AAB) as part of monitoring and helping improve quality of care. AAB is a Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) measure from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). The measure tracks the percentage of episodes for members ages 3 months and older with a diagnosis of acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis that did not result in the member receiving an antibiotic prescription. A higher ratio indicates appropriate treatment for acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis, meaning antibiotics weren’t prescribed.
Tips to Consider
The CDC suggests alternatives to antibiotics for acute bronchitis and other conditions, including:
- Adequate rest and increased fluids
- Using a clean humidifier or cool mist vaporizer
- Inhaling hot shower steam or other sources of hot vapor
- Throat lozenges for adults and children age 5 years and older
- Over-the-counter medications to treat symptoms
Consider providing our members handouts, such as these from the CDC , explaining that viruses, not bacteria, cause colds and flu.
El material que se muestra anteriormente tiene fines informativos únicamente y no reemplaza el juicio médico independiente de un médico u otro profesional médico. Se recomienda a los médicos y otros profesionales médicos que usen su propio criterio médico basado en toda la información disponible y en la condición del paciente para determinar el curso de tratamiento apropiado. References to other third-party sources or organizations are not a representation, warranty or endorsement of such organization. Cualquier pregunta relacionada con esas organizaciones debe enviarse directamente a esas organizaciones. La descripción de un servicio o tratamiento en este material no garantiza que el servicio o tratamiento sea un beneficio con cobertura, y los asegurados deben consultar su certificado de cobertura para obtener más detalles sobre los beneficios, las limitaciones y las exclusiones. Independientemente de los beneficios, la decisión final sobre cualquier servicio o tratamiento la toman el asegurado y su médico.
HEDIS es una marca comercial registrada de NCQA. Use of this resource is subject to NCQA's copyright, found here.