Antivirals good option in many cases, says CDC
Severity and duration of influenza illness can be reduced by
antiviral medications.
An information
sheet for clinicians on using antiviral medications for the
treatment of 2009 H1N1 influenza has been released by CDC. The following
important information is included in the single-page document to clarify
common misconceptions about the timing and appropriate prescribing of
antiviral medications for H1N1 influenza:
- Although antiviral treatment is most effective when started within
48 hours of influenza illness onset, patients still benefit when
treatment is started with oseltamivir more than 48 hours after illness
onset.
- Many 2009 H1N1 patients, including those with risk factors for
severe illness and those who appear to be getting worse, can benefit
from antiviral treatment.
- Not having any risk factors does not mean that antiviral treatment
is unnecessary.
- Don’t wait until laboratory confirmation to start
treatment—if influenza is suspected and antiviral treatment
warranted, then treat even if the rapid test is negative.
- Although pediatric oseltamivir suspension is in short supply,
alternative/viable options are available. For example, children's
oseltamivir capsules can be mixed with syrup at home and pharmacies can
compound adult oseltamivir capsules into a suspension for treating
infants and children. Additional information on compounding is
available here.
Influenza antiviral medications can reduce the severity and duration
of influenza illness, as well as the risk of influenza-related
complications, including severe illness and death. Pharmacists are
encouraged to share this information.
A new widget, 5 in 5:
Clinician quick facts for 2009 H1N1, has been released by CDC. The
application provides quick facts for health providers and clinicians to
consider when evaluating a patient for antiviral treatment, highlighting
the importance of early treatment and antiviral use after 48 hours, in
the moderately ill, and in adults and children without risk factors. The
widget allows content to be displayed directly on a webpage; users can
embed the content in personalized homepages, blogs, and other sites. No
technical maintenance is required after the widget has been added; CDC
will update content automatically. To include the widget, cut and paste
the html code into your webpage. If you have questions or need help
adding the widget, contact CDC's Web team at cdcweb@cdc.gov.
Source
Posted by Joe Sheffer (jsheffer@aphanet.org)
November 11, 2009
Related Files
QuickFactsforCliniciansonAntiviralTreatmentsforH1N1 (Adobe PDF File)
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