Respiratory tract infections: diagnosis and use of antibiotics by family physicians in north-eastern Poland.

The aim of our study was to describe the pattern of antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections. Forty-four family physicians from Białystok (north-eastern Poland) filled in questionnaires regarding 1315 patients with respiratory tract infections. Antibiotics were prescribed in 803 cases (61.1%). The four principle diagnoses associated with prescribing an antibiotic were: bacterial pharyngitis/tonsillitis, acute bronchitis, unspecified bacterial superinfection and acute sinusitis for which a total of 572 antibiotic treatments were given (71.2% of all antibiotic prescriptions). The study shows that Polish family physicians diagnose respiratory tract infections empirically and frequently prescribe wide-spectrum antibiotics. More information is required about the diagnostic value of certain clinical symptoms such as purulent sputum, duration of cough and indications for broad-spectrum antibiotic use.