Abstract

Background: Antibiotics are agents used for the treatment of infection of microorganisms. However, using incorrect antibiotic or suboptimal antibiotic regimen can lead to bacterial resistance. Acute respiratory infection is a common infection that is caused mainly by a virus. Most of the acute respiratory infections are caused by viruses; however, antibiotics are prescribed as first-line treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of antibiotic prescription for the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in Saudi Arabia.
Methods: This study was conducted on patients with lower respiratory tract infection and physicians during the period from August to October. The demographics and clinical data of patients were collected and the physicians reported the prescription pattern using a survey.
Results: A total of 200 patients with LRTIs were enrolled in this study; the most common clinical manifestation was a cough (64%). A large percentage of patients showed normal chest X-ray findings, and more than half (62.5%) were suffering from community-acquired pneumonia. Broad-spectrum penicillins and aminoglycoside were the most prescribed antibiotics (28.5%). There were 33.5% of physicians who prescribed empirical antibiotics.
Quinolones were the most prescribed for patients with LRTIs , with the most common period of 7-10 days. There were 89% of physicians who reported that patients sometimes influence the prescription of antibiotics.
Conclusion: There is prescribing of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and this can increase the bacterial resistance, and the information about the antibiotics is obtained mainly through the internet. Patients sometimes affect the decision of the physician in the prescription of antibiotics.

Key words: LRTI, prescription pattern, antibiotics, treatment