How Serious Are Upper Respiratory Tract Infections?
In general, upper respiratory tract infections are common and not serious. However, an average of 20,000 Americans die every year from complications of influenza, and there is some indication that the mortality rates are increasing in recent years. They are a major cause of hospitalization in people with chronic medical conditions, especially the elderly and the very young, and particularly those in low socioeconomic groups. Such hospitalizations have also been increasing over the past few decades. For example, almost 1.5 million persons were hospitalized in 1995 after an average increase of more than 28,000 per year since 1980. The hospitalization rate for persons 65 years of age or older with pneumonia increased by 50% from 1985 to 1995. Such rates do not include exacerbations of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis. • Complications of Colds Colds rarely cause serious complications. In about 1% of cases, a cold can lead to other com
