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  3. Effect of using an interactive booklet about childhood respiratory tract infections in primary care consultations on reconsulting and antibiotic prescribing: a cluster randomised controlled trial
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Research

Effect of using an interactive booklet about childhood respiratory tract infections in primary care consultations on reconsulting and antibiotic prescribing: a cluster randomised controlled trial

BMJ 2009; 339 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b2885 (Published 29 July 2009) Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b2885

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Understanding respiratory tract infections in primary care

I would recomend that the use of antibiotics can be reduced more
easily a)by explaining that viruses,the usual cause of respiratory tract
infections do not respond to antibiotics,and b)in that the symptoms are
caused by an inflammatory process,the use of anti-inflammatory treatment
will actually cut short the duration of what can often be long drawn-out
symptoms, thereby reducing parent pressure for antibiotics.

Competing interests:
None declared

Competing interests: No competing interests

22 August 2009
Rod A Storring
Consultant Physician in Respiratory Medicine
Barking and Dagenham PCT
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