Clinicians should not prescribe antibiotics for most cases of an acute sore throat, including pharyngitis and tonsillitis, says the guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. It was reported that 60% of patients who presented with the complaints of a sore throat are prescribed with antibiotics. Instead, patients should be encouraged to take paracetamol or ibuprofen as most sore throats are caused by viral infections and symptoms are usually relieved in a week.
Moreover, patients can also be advised to take lozenges containing a local anesthetic, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), or an antiseptic to reduce the pain. What is your opinion regarding this NICE guidance? Will this step further help in reducing the anti-microbial resistance?
