Antibiotics

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Should you prescribe an antibiotic for the common cold? No.

  • The common cold is caused by a virus

  • At the peak of a cold (day three or four) the nasal discharge may be green

  • Antibiotics do not reduce symptom duration or severity in studies of the common cold

  • Risks include GI side effects, cost of pharmaceuticals, and increased resistance of bacteria to antibiotics

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