Are physicians prescribing too much medication?
A recent study in the British medical journal discussed delaying prescription drug use, specifically antibiotics.
Dr. Rade Vukmir, an expert in the area of antibiotics joins Dr. Leigh to discuss this study, as well as the proper use of antibiotics.
Often, people seek medical assistance at the first sign of a cough and do not let an illness "run it's course." Instead, they rush to a doctor or emergency department to get a prescription.
This could actually be weakening your defenses for the next time you are really sick and actually need antibiotics. The resistance may not be effective with overuse.
The next time you are sick, seek medical attention, but ask your doctor if a prescription is truly the best course of action. Sometimes there is a need for medication, just be sure that you know when that is.
Antibiotic Overuse Can Put You at Risk
Are you over-medicating yourself every time you get a simple cough? Know when you should and should not use antibiotics.
Additional Info
- Segment Number: 1
- Audio File: ER_101/1411er5a.mp3
- Featured Speaker: Rade B. Vukmir, MD
- Organization: American College of Emergency Physicians
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Guest Bio:
Rade B. Vukmir, MD, JD, FCCP, FACEP, FACHE, is Chief Clinical Officer for National Guardian Risk Retention Group. Dr. Vukmir is the Chairman of ECI’s Education and Risk Management Department. He holds an academic appointment as Professor (Adjunct) of Emergency Medicine at Temple University. He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians, and the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Dr. Vukmir received medical and legal degrees from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. He completed a residency program in Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, a clinical fellowship in Critical Care at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and a research fellowship in Resuscitation at the Safar Center for Resuscitation Research. He is a certified instructor of Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Advanced Trauma Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and the Fundamentals of Critical Care Support.
Dr. Vukmir also a degree in Law with a certificate in Health Law. Current interests include management of medicolegal risk, operations, efficiency, management, and optimal customer service strategies. He is the author of forty-two, peer-reviewed medical journal articles, as well as seven books. He is the recipient of the University of Pittsburgh Affiliated Residency and Emergency Medicine Faculty Excellence Award for 1991 and 1992.
Dr. Vukmir is the founder of the ACEP Critical Care Medicine Section, and has served as Councilor, Medicolegal Committee and Public Relations Committee. He currently serves as an ACEP spokesperson. - Length (mins): 10
- Waiver Received: Yes
- Host: Leigh Vinocur, MD
Published in
The Dr. Leigh Vinocur Show