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Contact: Lori Maldonado
Public Information Specialist
(303) 692-2028
For Immediate Release Tuesday, December 14, 2004
“GET SMART” About Appropriate Antibiotic Use
DENVER—State health officials Tuesday said this is the time
of year for common winter illnesses such as colds, the flu or bronchitis, which
are usually caused by viruses and not cured by antibiotics.
Dr. Ken Gershman, chief of the Communicable Disease Program
for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said, “Antibiotics
only work on illnesses caused by bacteria. They don’t work on illnesses caused
by viruses, such as the common cold, the flu and most bronchitis. If you go to
the doctor this winter with symptoms such as a sore throat, nasal congestion,
and a cough, your doctor should inform you that antibiotics are not necessary
and won’t help because you have a viral infection.”
Gershman noted that antibiotics are being overused and
misused, which has led to some bacteria developing resistance to a number of
commonly used antibiotics.
“Resistance means that the bacteria causing some illnesses
are out-smarting the drugs available to treat them. If people take antibiotics
when they don’t need them, it puts them at risk for developing an infection
caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” Gershman said.
To promote the careful use of antibiotics for common
respiratory infections, especially for colds and coughs, the Colorado Department
of Public Health and Environment has convened a statewide coalition to conduct
the Get Smart Colorado campaign to raise awareness among providers and consumers
about appropriate use of antibiotics.
Gershman said, “The coalition hopes to give providers the
tools to make more appropriate prescribing decisions and communicate more
effectively with their patients, and to give consumers a better understanding of
why not to expect or to request an antibiotic prescription for most coughs and
colds, even if they have been treated this way in the past.
“Simply put, we encourage patients to talk with their
doctors to better understand appropriate use of antibiotics and to discuss other
measures to treat and prevent illnesses such as the cold or flu. Simply washing
your hands frequently can reduce the chances of catching a cold this season.”
Some of the activities planned for the statewide coalition
include:
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Distribution of educational materials to be posted in
physicians’ offices and pharmacies, such as posters and brochures, on
appropriate antibiotic use.
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Educational presentations on appropriate antibiotic use for
health care providers; medical students; college students; child care
providers and school nurses.
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Exhibition booths at local and state conferences and health
fairs.
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Ongoing telephone surveys to monitor changes in the public’s
knowledge and beliefs about appropriate antibiotic use.
The coalition, which was convened in August 2004, currently
includes representatives from the Colorado Medical Society; the Colorado Academy
of Family Physicians; the Colorado Nurses Association; the Colorado Academy of
Physician Assistants; the Colorado Association of Health Plans; the Colorado
Pharmacists Society; as well as representation from individual health plans;
childcare providers; school and college health programs; community
organizations; local health departments; industry and academic institutions.
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