Antibiotic prescribing for self limiting respiratory tract infections in primary care: summary of NICE guidance

Management strategies for antibiotics Adults and children (3 months or older) with acute otitis media; acute sore throat, acute pharyngitis, or acute tonsillitis; common cold; acute rhinosinusitis; acute cough or acute bronchitis At the first face to face contact in primary care, offer a clinical assessment that includes a history (presenting symptoms, use of over the counter or self medication, medical history, relevant risk factors, relevant comorbidities) and, if indicated, an examination to identify relevant clinical signs. 3 [Based on good quality, individual patient data meta-analysis and randomised controlled trials] For all three antibiotic management strategies Advise patients on the usual course of the illness and the average total illness duration (acute otitis media: four days; acute sore throat, acute pharyngitis, or acute tonsillitis: one week; common cold: one and a half weeks; acute rhinosinusitis: two and a half weeks; acute cough or acute bronchitis: three weeks) Advise patients how to manage symptoms, including fever (particularly analgesics and antipyretics).