|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Antiviral Drugs Promoted for Flu Prevention,
Treatment
Oct. 19, 2004 Three antiviral drugs are now being
emphasized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a
means of preventing the flu. Amantadine, rimantadine, and oseltamivir
have been approved for flu prevention but not as a substitute for
influenza vaccination. These drugs may be an acceptable alternative for
those who are unable to find flu vaccinations due to the shortage.
. When used for prevention, these three drugs are
about 70% to 90% effective for preventing illness in healthy adults,
says the CDC. All of these medications are prescription drugs, and a
doctor should be consulted before the drugs are used.
A fourth antiviral drug zanamavir, along with the
other three, have also been approved for treatmentof the flu. If taken
within 2 days of getting sick, these drugs can reduce the symptoms of
the flu and shorten the time you are sick by 1 or 2 days. They also can
make you less contagious to others.
HHC Secretary Tommy Thompson emphasized in a news
conference today that there is an ample supply of these drugs.
All of these drugs must be prescribed by a doctor
and taken for 5 days. Antiviral drugs are effective only against
influenza viruses. They will not help the symptoms associated with the
common cold or many other flu-like illnesses caused by viruses that
circulate in the winter.
All of the antiviral drugs are different in terms
of who can take them, how they are given, any dosing changes based on
age or medical conditions, and side effects. Your doctors will help
decide whether you should get antivirals and which one you should get.
Use of Antivirals
Antiviral drugs are most often used to control flu
outbreaks in institutions, for example in nursing homes, or in hospital
wards, where people at high risk (see below) for complications from flu
are in close contact with each other. Antivirals also have been used on
cruise ships or similar settings to control outbreaks of the flu.
In the event of an outbreak, public health practice
is to combine the use of flu vaccine and antivirals. In a nursing home
during an outbreak, for example, residents and staff are given the flu
vaccine and antivirals to prevent flu until the vaccine takes effect
(about 2 weeks). This practice continues as long as influenza is
occurring in that setting.
Doctors also can prescribe antivirals for flu to
people not living in institutional settings, but treatment must begin
within 2 days of the onset of symptoms for it to be effective. Also,
while all antivirals lessen the symptoms of illness and shorten the
duration of illness, only 1 (oseltamivir) has been shown in a study to
reduce some complications requiring antibiotics.
When considering antivirals, its important to
remember that most healthy people recover from the flu without
complications.
Antivirals for People at High Risk for
Complications
Some people are considered to be at high risk from
complications of flu. This includes
-
People 65 years of age and older
-
Children 6-23 months of age*
-
People of any age with chronic medical conditions (for example,
heart or lung disease, diabetes)
-
Pregnant women
Note that none of the antivirals are approved for
use in children less than 1 year of age.
*Children 6-23 months of age are at
increased risk for influenza-related hospitalization.
Who Should Get Antiviral Drugs
For Treatment: If you get sick with flu-like
symptoms this season, your doctor first may give you a test to find out
whether you have influenza. (Symptoms of flu include: fever (usually
high), headache, tiredness, a sore throat and dry cough, nasal
congestion, and body aches.) Your doctor also will consider a number of
things before making a treatment decision, such as your risk for
complications from flu.
For Prevention: In the event of a flu outbreak in a
home, institution, or community, your doctor may choose to give
antivirals to you as a preventive measure, especially if you are at high
risk for complications from the flu. Also, if you are in close contact
with someone who is considered at high risk for complications from flu,
you may be given antiviral drugs to prevent passing flu to the high-risk
person.
For more information, see the following:
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
