Antibiotic prescribing rates in the US ambulatory care setting for patients diagnosed with influenza, 1997–2001

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To document the rate and cost of antibiotic prescribing for patients diagnosed only with influenza during US ambulatory care visits. Federal survey data for 1997–2001 were used to estimate outpatient trends for all patients and healthy people age 5–49 years. Cost estimates were based on Medicare payments and Red Book average wholesale prices in 2003. Antibiotic prescribing for influenza is widespread; 38% of visits led to an antibiotic prescription of which one-third were for broad spectrum antibiotics. Inappropriate antibiotics cost $18.5 million annually and may contribute to resistance. Increased vaccination rates and viral testing could reduce these trends.