Choosing Wisely focuses on antibiotics misuse

The effort to preserve antibiotics just got a big boost. With Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding, the Choosing Wisely campaign is backing seven regional efforts that include reining in misuse of these precious life-saving drugs. The seven initiatives will each receive a grant of $315,000 to advance Choosing Wisely and include: • Greater Detroit Area Health Council –The Greater Detroit Area Health Council…

ByChristine AustinJune 26, 20230Comments

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Choosing Wisely, still growing, turns 4

Dr. Eric Barbanel, an internist in Middletown, N.Y., is determined to have his patients and their families understand that much of the care they’re used to receiving — including care that he used to deliver himself — turns out to be needless. Many doctors still offer, and many patients expect, unproductive tests and treatments that may be…

ByChristine AustinJune 26, 20230Comments

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Taking the antibiotics message to a global stage

Consumers worldwide need to be alerted to, and protected from, the public-health crisis of antibiotic resistance. That’s the message Consumer Reports President Marta Tellado delivered to a landmark meeting of United Nations delegates today in New York. In the U.S. alone, 2 million people become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and at least 23,000 people die each year…

ByChristine AustinJune 26, 20230Comments

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Pruebas de detección

Cuándo se necesitan y cuándo no Las pruebas de detección ayudan a los médicos a detectar enfermedades cuando usted no tiene síntomas. Las pruebas pueden encontrar problemas al principio, cuando son más fáciles de tratar. Algunas veces esto puede mejorar su salud y ayudarle a vivir más tiempo. Sin embargo, es importante saber qué pruebas…

ByChristine AustinJune 26, 20230Comments

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Antibiotics for Your Skin (AAD)

Antibiotics for Your Skin (AAD) Campaign Series: Choosing Wisely Medical Category: Drugs Article Type: Advice Language: Plain English, Spanish Affiliation: American Academy of Dermatology Format: HTML, PDF Most recent update: 08/05/2022 Skin problems can sometimes look like infections, especially if they’re red, swollen, or tender. So it might seem like treating them with antibiotics is a good idea. But some skin problems…

ByChristine AustinJune 26, 20230Comments

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I Didn’t Know That Antibiotics Shouldn’t Always be Used to Treat Bronchitis

I have asthma, so over the years, I’ve had a tendency to get bronchitis two to three times per year. Whenever it got bad enough, I was prescribed antibiotics. I recall being told that there was a danger of the bronchitis turning into pneumonia, so I was only too happy to take the antibiotics. In 2015,…

ByChristine AustinJune 26, 20230Comments

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Lab Tests Before Surgery

Lab Tests Before Surgery When you need them—and when you don’t <PDF versions If you’re going to have surgery, you may have blood and urine tests first. These tests may be helpful if you have certain health conditions or diseases. For example, if you have a blood-clotting problem, a test can show if you’re…

ByChristine AustinJune 26, 20230Comments

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The Employers’ Toolkit Campaign

From Consumer Reports and the Choosing Wisely campaign Click the tabs at left for more information on taking charge of your own healthcare. For more resources for employees, visit Making Healthy Choices. Articles from your employer Caring for Others: Tips to Help You and Your Loved Ones When caring for someone, it’s important to build a relationship with his or…

ByChristine AustinJune 26, 20230Comments

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Treating Sinusitis (AAAAI)

Treating Sinusitis (AAAAI) Campaign Series: Choosing Wisely Medical Category: Drugs Article Type: Advice Language: Plain English, Spanish Affiliation: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Format: HTML, PDF Most recent update: 09/26/2016 Millions of people are prescribed antibiotics each year for sinusitis, a frequent complication of the common cold, hay fever, and other respiratory allergies. Unfortunately, most of those people probably don’t…

ByChristine AustinJune 26, 20230Comments

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Supplements for Osteoarthritis (AAOS)

Supplements for Osteoarthritis (AAOS) Campaign Series: Choosing Wisely Medical Category: Drugs Article Type: Advice Language: Plain English, Spanish Affiliation: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Format: PDF Most recent update: 03/10/2021 Many people with osteoarthritis have knee pain. They often try over-the-counter treatments -- chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine -- to help the pain, and to avoid knee surgery. But these popular supplements don’t…

ByChristine AustinJune 26, 20230Comments