Antibiotic prescriptions associated with a diagnosis of acute nasopharyngitis by general practitioners in France

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Background Nasopharyngitis is a common viral infection that has led to an overuse of prescription drugs, in particular antibiotics, which are not indicated for this condition. Aim The purpose of this study was to describe drug prescriptions for patients with a diagnosis of acute rhinopharyngitis in general practices in France. Design & setting Retrospective study of 1 067 403 prescriptions for a diagnosis of nasopharyngitis issued by 2637 physicians to 754 476 patients living in metropolitan France. Method The data were sourced from the prescription software, Cegedim, for the period 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2021 and analysed according to patients’ and physicians’ ages. Results A total of 2 591 584 medications were prescribed by GPs, with a median of three medications per patient. A total of 171 540 courses of antibiotics were prescribed (16% prescription rates), with amoxicillin being the most frequently prescribed (102 089 prescriptions; 59.5% of antibiotic prescriptions). Amoxicillin prescription increased in extreme age groups (18.2% of visits in those aged 9 years and under, and 10.0% of visits in those aged over 80 years, while patients aged 20–29-years were prescribed amoxicillin in just 2.9% of visits), and more prescriptions are issued by older doctors (GPs older than 70 years prescribed antibiotics in 26.4% of visits versus 3.2% of visits by GPs aged under 29 years). Conclusion Nasopharyngitis is frequently a cause of therapeutic over-prescriptions including antibiotics, with an antibiotic prescription rate of 16%. Additional research is required to enhance our understanding of factors linked to drug prescriptions.