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The drugs don't always workDate: 11/09/2007 09:35:14
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Yesterday the British Pharmaceutical Conference announced the results of research into the use of antibiotics, finding that recommended dosage of the drugs is often exceeded.
As many as 75 per cent of surgical patients received a higher dosage than the amount stipulated in guidelines for the protection of post-operative wounds, according to research undertaken at the Sunderland Royal Hospital.
The research came on the back of a previous study at the same hospital in 2006, where it was found that more than half of all patients were over-prescribed antibiotics.
New findings suggest that the mandatory stop date introduced to counter this is not
working, as over-prescribing has since risen 20 per cent, with the electronic system ignoring any need for review of the patient's course of drugs before the final date.
Dr Rachel Etherington, leading the research, said that pharmacists needed to play a role in "advising prescribers of appropriate length of antibiotic treatment and for the introduction of agreed local guidelines".
Overuse of antibiotics is a concern to all, as the body can develop its own resistance to drugs to the point that they lose their future effectiveness.
Findings from the Sunderland hospital were not an isolated case, with the BBC reporting similar trends from a research team at Liverpool John Moores University.
Consulting medical records, the team was reported to have found that 15 per cent of all antibiotic prescriptions involved the most modern, powerful drugs, being issued in breach of guidelines aiming to restrict their use.
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