Housecall for Health: Over-Prescribed Antibiotics

Are older Americans putting themselves in a position where they won’t be able to fight an infection with prescription drugs when they need to? ?New research indicates it’s a possibility.

FOX’s Colleen Cappon reports in today’s “Housecall for Health”:

A new study shows U.S. seniors are being over-prescribed antibiotics. ?Medicare records show that, on average, seniors take at least one antibiotic per year – and older adults in the South, as much as every three months.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh say because of this, antibiotic resistance in southern states is at an all-time high. ?Experts say many antibiotics are prescribed because of patient requests, and medical professionals need to cut back.