Bronchitis
The regional formulary will not cover all eventualities for infections medicines choices. As with any condition; patient specific factors and sensitivities need to be considered. Please consider this regional formulary advice alongside any relevant local Board guidelines.
Where laboratory susceptibility reports recommend that increased dosing is required for specific antimicrobials in relation to organism susceptibility, please refer to local guidelines.
In otherwise healthy individuals no antibiotic treatment.
If >80 years of age and one of: hospitalisation in past year; taking oral steroids; insulin-dependent diabetics; congestive heart failure; or patients with at least 2 of the above.
500mg every 8 hours for 5 days.
For penicillin allergy or no response to amoxicillin.
200mg on day 1, then 100mg daily for 5 days treatment in total.
For penicillin allergy in pregnancy.
500mg every 6 hours for 5 days.
Prescribing Notes:
- The vast majority of respiratory tract illness is self-limiting. Do not prescribe an antibiotic for uncomplicated coughs and colds when the infection is likely to be viral in nature – only use antibiotics when there is evidence of bacterial infection. Purulent sputum alone is not a marker for antibiotic treatment.
- Antibiotics are of limited benefit in acute cough and bronchitis if there are no other significant co-morbidities. Symptom resolution can take 3 weeks.
- Dual antibiotic therapy is not appropriate for treatment in this pathway.
- Consider pertussis if prolonged acute cough lasting for 14 days or more without apparent cause, additional clinical features and contact with confirmed case in previous 21 days. See formulary recommendations for pertussis.
History Notes
30/07/2026
Regional formulary chapter launched.