Antibiotic stewardship: courses for doxycycline 100mg greater than 6 capsules/dispersible tablets by all Sub-ICB Locations
Why it matters: The most common indication for the prescribing of doxycycline in primary care is the treatment of respiratory-tract infections. NICE guidance recommends five-day courses when antibiotics are indicated for sinusitis, sore throat, COPD infective exacerbation, cough (acute), pneumonia (community-acquired) and otitis media. For doxycycline this would be 200mg on the first day, then 100mg once a day for 4 days (5-day course in total) requiring a total of 6 capsules/dispersible tablets. Where greater than 5 days treatment is prescribed for these indications, this increases both the unnecessary exposure to antibiotics, as well as cost. There are some indications which require higher doses/longer durations of doxycycline, e.g. treatment of infected leg ulcers.
NHS England National Medicines Optimisation Opportunities for 2023/24 identify use of the shortest effective antibiotic courses as an area for improvement.
Description: Proportion of prescription items of doxycycline 100mg capsules with quantity greater than 6 capsules/dispersible tablets
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Tagged as: Antimicrobial Stewardship, Standard, Infections, NICE, National medicines optimisation opportunities (or browse all measures)
Sub-ICB Locations are ordered by mean percentile over the past six months. Each chart shows the results for the individual Sub-ICB Location, plus deciles across all Sub-ICB Locations in the NHS in England.
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