An Overview on the Treatment and Management of the Desalination Brine Solution

Abstract

The annual cost of sinusitis in the United States is approximately $5.8 billion, which includes over 500,000 surgical procedures performed on the paranasal sinuses. Over 30 million Americans are affected by rhinosinusitis annually, with 73 million days of restricted activity or lost work per year. Bacteria cause sinusitis in only 2% to 10% of cases, yet a recent national survey showed that 81% of adults presenting with acute sinusitis were prescribed antibiotics. Acute sinusitis is now the fifth leading indication for antimicrobial prescriptions by primary care physicians. Primary care clinicians and pharmacists are challenged to differentiate between viral and bacterial sinusitis, which have nearly identical symptoms, and recommend appropriate therapy for patients. Due to these concerns, in March 2012 the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) published its first clinical practice guidelines on the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis. A community pharmacist is poised to help treat this public health concern through education and proper recognition of when to treat symptoms or an underlying bacterial infection.