Abstract
In the cold months of the year, infectious respiratory diseases are the most common cause of illness. Although upper respiratory tract infections are rarely fatal, and although most upper respiratory tract infections are of viral etiology, these infections are the most common reason for prescribing antibiotics in outpatient care.
Consumption of antibiotics worldwide and in the Czech Republic is growing. With the increase in consumption, an increase in the resistance of bacterial agents of community-acquired respiratory infections is also observed.
Some countries are already deliberately reducing antibiotic consumption by limiting prescriptions where it is considered etiologically ineffective. Guidelines for the use of antibiotics in respiratory infections are a possible solution for good antibiotic practice.