The flu and its complications
The flu and its complications
The flu and its complications
Recent studies have shown that the drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) significantly reduces the likelihood of complications arising from influenza and therefore lethal disease.
Each year the flu virus infects one in ten adults and one in three children. Epidemics of influenza usually occur seasonally - in the autumn and winter months (October to April). Moreover, every 10-40 years there is the threat of an influenza pandemic when a new strain of virus against which humanity has no immunity, resulting in simultaneous outbreaks of flu around the world and cause a huge number of deaths. According to the World Health Organization, today, the probability of occurrence of an influenza pandemic is very high.
Unlike many other acute respiratory viral infections, the flu is particularly dangerous because it can cause complications such as bronchitis, sinusitis, otitis media, pneumonia, and myocardial infarction and encephalitis, and can lead to hospitalization and even death.
New research on the drug Tamiflu complement the existing results of clinical trials in which Tamiflu showed a decrease of secondary complications by 67% and the real benefits of the drug in everyday clinical practice.
A study conducted by a major U.S. company, was devoted to the study of cases of pneumonia and heart attacks (myocardial infarction) within one month after the diagnosis of influenza patients, some of which did not take drugs, and the remaining were discharged drug Tamiflu. Patients taking the drug Tamiflu, it was observed to reduce the risk of pneumonia and heart attacks compared with patients not taking medications.
Another study showed that treatment with Tamiflu hospitalized influenza patients significantly reduced the probability of fatal outcome in patients who started treatment within three days after the first symptoms of the disease.
The drug Tamiflu is active against all influenza A viruses. His action is based on blocking the action of the neuraminidase enzyme on the virus surface. When neuraminidase is inhibited, the virus can no longer exist in the cells of the vehicle and killed. Thus, the virus can not spread further and infect other cells. In contrast to other antiviral drugs, neuraminidase inhibitors are effective against both types of flu - virus A and B.
Tamiflu has proven clinical efficacy in the treatment of influenza in adults and children over 1 year and for the prevention of influenza in adults and adolescents over 13 years.
When using Tamiflu, it was noted:
alleviation of symptoms by 38%;
reduction of secondary complications including bronchitis, pneumonia and sinusitis - 67%;
reducing the duration of the flu - 37%.
In children, use of the drug Tamiflu reduces the severity and duration of flu symptoms by 26% and, compared with standard drugs, the number of cases of otitis media - by 44%.
Use of Tamiflu is not limited to the relief of symptoms of influenza. Objective data show that treatment with Tamiflu leads to fewer secondary respiratory illnesses, bronchitis, pneumonia and hospital admissions. New data show that intake of Tamiflu reduces the risk of complications from the flu and the possibility of death.
During clinical trials the drug Tamiflu has demonstrated high efficacy, good tolerability by the body and greater security.
The drug Tamiflu has been tested by the WHO against different strains of influenza, and demonstrated its effectiveness against strains H7 and H9 avian influenza virus. Recent data also demonstrated the effectiveness of Tamiflu against bird flu strain H5N1, which is currently distributed in Southeast Asia.
WHO recommendations state that the stockpiling of antiviral drugs is currently the only way to ensure availability of required quantities of preparations in the event of a pandemic. In the past few months, the company Roche has worked with many governments to discuss their needs in stocks Tamiflu, and has received and fulfilled orders from around 40 countries. The size of these orders varies from country to country. For example, France, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the UK are already doing or planning to do the necessary reserves of Tamiflu, the medicine to ensure 20-40% of its population.
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