COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES
Many patients also use nonprescription, alternative medications for relief of their bronchitis symptoms. Studies have assessed the benefits of echinacea, pelargonium, and honey. Trials of echinacea in patients with bronchitis and the common cold have yielded inconsistent results, although studies showing positive results have been modest at best.25 Several randomized trials have evaluated pelargonium (also known as kalwerbossie, South African geranium, or the folk remedy rabassam) as a therapy for bronchitis.26-28 Modest benefits have been noted, primarily in symptom scoring by patients.27 In one randomized trial, patients taking pelargonium for bronchitis returned to work an average of two days earlier than those taking placebo.28
One recent trial examined the effectiveness of dark honey for symptom relief in children with bronchitis compared with dextromethorphan or placebo. Although the authors concluded that symptom scores from patients treated with dark honey were superior to those treated with placebo, the clinical benefit was small.29
Reducing Unnecessary Prescribing
Many patients with bronchitis expect medications for symptom relief, and physicians are faced with the difficult task of convincing patients that most medications are ineffective against acute bronchitis. Table 3 includes methods that may facilitate these discussions. Careful word selection and communication skills can help reduce antibiotic prescribing.30 For example, one survey showed that patients would be less dissatisfied after not receiving antibiotics for a “chest cold” or “viral upper respiratory infection” than they would be for “acute bronchitis.”30 Another study showed that antibiotic prescriptions were reduced by 50 percent when physicians received communication skills training that focused on eliciting patient expectations of illness and antibiotic use, as well as on educating patients about the natural history of bronchitis.15 “Pocket” prescriptions or “wait-and-see” prescriptions, which are given to patients with instructions to fill them only if symptoms do not resolve within a specific timeframe, have also been shown to reduce antibiotic use.31 Other commonly used methods for addressing patient expectation for antibiotics include providing nonpharmacologic recommendations for symptom management, providing information sheets about viral infections and antibiotics,32 and ensuring close follow-up by phone or with scheduled appointments.