Important notes when using flu medicine

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi Nhat - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

Influenza antivirals are prescription drugs (pill, liquid, powder, inhalation powder, intravenous solution) that fight the flu virus in the body. Medicines are sold by prescription and you can only buy them with a prescription from your doctor. The CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends prompt treatment for people who have influenza infection or are suspected of having flu and are at risk for serious complications from influenza.
Studies have shown that antiviral drugs for influenza work best when they are started within 2 days of a patient's illness. However, starting treatment later can still help, especially if the person is at high risk for serious flu complications or is in the hospital for serious illness. So what antiviral medications are recommended this flu season? There are four FDA-approved and CDC-recommended antiviral drugs for the treatment of influenza:
Oseltamivir phosphate (trade name Tamiflu®): is the active ingredient of Tamiflu® that is available as a pill or mixture. This active ingredient is FDA-approved for the early treatment of influenza in patients 14 days of age and older. Zanamivir (trade name Relenza®): is an active ingredient in inhalation powder and is indicated for the early treatment of influenza in patients 7 years of age and older. Note: Zanamivir (trade name Relenza®) is for use by inhalation device and is not recommended for people with breathing problems such as asthma or COPD.) Oseltamivir and zanamivir are taken 2 times a day for 5 days. day. Peramivir (trade name Rapivab®): It is given as a single intravenous injection and is indicated for the early treatment of influenza in people 2 years of age and older. Baloxavir marbocyl (trade name Xofluza®): is a single dose oral antiviral drug that has been approved for the early treatment of influenza in patients 12 years of age and older. . Given the variable frequency of influenza viruses and the potential for influenza viruses to develop resistance to or reduce susceptibility to one or more influenza antiviral drugs, we are better off with more treatment options. flu. For example, influenza viruses that are already resistant to oseltamivir may remain susceptible to baloxavir.

Clinical trials and observational data suggest that early antiviral treatment can shorten the duration of fever and symptoms and may reduce the risk of some complications from influenza (eg. , otitis media in young children, pneumonia and respiratory failure).
Early treatment of hospitalized adult influenza patients with oseltamivir has been reported to reduce mortality in several observational studies. In hospitalized children, early antiviral treatment with oseltamivir has been reported to shorten the time to hospital admission in observational studies.
The clinical benefit is greatest when antiretroviral therapy is instituted early, especially within 48 hours of influenza onset in clinical trials and observational studies. It can also reduce the risk of complications such as ear infections in children, respiratory complications requiring antibiotics, and hospitalization in adults. For people at high risk for serious flu complications, early treatment with antiviral drugs can make the illness milder rather than hospitalised. For older adults who are hospitalized with the flu, some studies have reported that early antiviral treatment may help reduce a patient's risk of death.

According to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, the use of antiviral drugs is only indicated for complicated cases of influenza A or influenza B infections or in people with multiple risk factors for severe illness. In addition, compliance with oral doses of antiviral drugs is very important, because both ensure effective treatment and minimize side effects of the drug. The dose of antiviral drugs depends on age and weight, usually the duration of treatment is 5 days. You need to be prescribed and adhere to the dose and duration of use by your doctor to ensure safety and effectiveness.
In addition to using antiviral drugs, patients with seasonal flu need to pay attention to issues such as treating flu complications, providing respiratory support when necessary with measures such as oxygen breathing, CPAP breathing or mechanical ventilation, Bacterial superinfections require early treatment with appropriate antibiotics. Especially early detection and timely treatment of multi-organ failure, a serious complication of influenza.
Patients need support to treat flu symptoms such as using antipyretic drugs when the temperature is above 38.5 degrees. The appropriate antipyretic should also be determined and prescribed by the specialist.

For hospitalized patients, the criteria for hospital discharge of influenza patients are:
The patient is completely free of fever and respiratory symptoms for more than 48 hours (except for cough); The clinical condition and vital signs are stable. After being discharged from the hospital, the patient needs to undergo medical isolation at home for a full 7 days from the onset of symptoms. At the same time, make sure to provide enough water, enough electrolytes and have a reasonable diet. At the same time, re-examine immediately at the medical facility when abnormal signs appear.

How to prevent flu? The seasonal flu vaccine can help prevent seasonal flu. Influenza is an infectious disease that occurs every year in the United States. Influenza usually occurs from October to May, while in Vietnam it usually occurs in the winter and spring. Babies and young children, people 65 years of age and older, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions or weakened immune systems are most at risk for flu complications if they don't know how to prevent the flu. season . Pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, ear infections... are complications related to flu. If you have a health condition such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes. .. the flu can make it worse. The flu can cause fever and chills, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, cough, headache and runny or stuffy nose, vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children than adults).
In an average year, thousands of people in the United States die from the flu and many more are hospitalized. So how to prevent the flu? The seasonal flu vaccine helps prevent millions of flu-related illnesses and doctor visits each year. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get vaccinated each flu season, especially children 6 months through 9 years of age who have never had a flu shot before getting 2 flu shots at least 1 hour apart. Months after that, a booster shot is given every year. Children over 9 years old and adults get 1 flu shot every year. It takes about 2 weeks for the seasonal flu vaccine to produce antibodies that can protect the vaccinated person.
There are many types of flu viruses and they change all the time, so a new flu vaccine is usually produced each year against influenza viruses that are expected to cause illness during the upcoming flu season. next. Even if the vaccine doesn't exactly match these viruses, it can still provide some useful protection to the body. Note that seasonal flu vaccines do not cause influenza and can be given at the same time as other vaccines.
In addition, seasonal influenza can be prevented with antiviral drugs for those in the high-risk group for complicated influenza and close contact with patients with confirmed influenza. For example, if you are a healthy person who has the flu and does not need any treatment, you have family members who are young children and the elderly, so they may need to be considered for flu prophylaxis to prevent the spread of the virus. Getting the flu from you leads to complications. The dose and duration of medication used to prevent influenza also depend on age and weight and may differ from the dose used to treat influenza. Consult your doctor if you or a family member need to take antiviral medication to prevent the flu.
The important thing in flu treatment is not to ignore symptoms or self-treat at home. When you or a loved one is in a high-risk group for flu complications, you should visit a health facility for early treatment and vaccination.
To get a flu shot, you should choose reputable hospitals/vaccination centers, provide quality vaccines, follow the injection process and follow up closely after vaccination, to ensure vaccination safety.
Vinmec International General Hospital provides influenza vaccination service with outstanding advantages such as:
Commitment to high quality vaccine source, clear origin, safety assurance from importation, assurance keep until use; Vaccines are preserved by a cold chain meeting GSP standards with a modern cold storage system, allowing vaccines to be kept in the best conditions; Experienced medical team, able to advise and handle complex vaccination situations; Strict process: Before vaccination, customers are screened before vaccination with specialist doctors to help ensure the best health when vaccinated. The doctor will advise the family on the best preventive vaccines, suitable for each age group according to the latest recommendations of the Ministry of Health & World Health Organization as well as how to monitor the reaction after vaccination. ; With the advantage of multi-specialty, Vinmec can effectively monitor and handle post-vaccination problems (if any); Modern facilities: Post-vaccination monitoring room is fully equipped with emergency facilities; The team of doctors - nurses are trained in anaphylaxis emergency treatment to ensure timely and correct treatment when an incident occurs.