Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is prevalent in 0.5% of adults in the US; it is about 2.5 times more common in women than in men. Guidelines for treatment of RA from the American College of Rheumatology were recently updated. The goal of treatment is to minimize disease activity and prevent irreversible joint damage.

Most respiratory tract infections are caused by viruses. Bacterial respiratory tract infections are usually treated empirically with antibiotic therapy that targets the most probable causative pathogens. Recommended antibiotic regimens for outpatient treatment of some common respiratory tract infections are listed in Table 1 for adults and Table 2 for children.