Very Few Antibiotic Prescriptions for Sore Throat, Bronchitis, Are Appropriate

More often than not, when pharmacists fill antibiotic prescriptions for patients with sore throats or bronchitis, the drugs are not only unnecessary but potentially harmful. That’s according to a new Harvard University study pointing out that 60% of primary care visits for sore throats and 73% for acute bronchitis resulted in antibiotic scripts. What do the authors suggest would be a more reasonable antibiotic prescription rate?

Hormone Treatment Should Not Be Prescribed for Chronic Disease Prevention in Women

The question comes up often with older women: Is hormone therapy safe and appropriate to use? An extended follow-up of the Women’s Health Initiative suggests the therapy might be okay for menopausal symptom management in some women but raises questions about use of hormones for chronic disease prevention. Here are the details.

Statins May Have Beneficial Effects Beyond Cardiovascular Risk Reduction

Statins may not be just for lowering cholesterol levels any more. Two new studies document other beneficial effects. Find out what the studies say about atorvastatin and periodontal inflammation, as well as the lipid-lowering drugs’ long-term effect on cognition.

Health Plans Underreport Percentage of Risky Prescriptions to Medicare Beneficiaries

The rate of high-risk prescriptions is higher than reported for seniors using Medicare Advantage health plans, according to a new study. Calculations from Brown University researchers were 5% higher than the rates reported by health plans, even though they ostensibly used the same data. How many patients potentially were affected?