Medications Review

About Tamiflu

Tamiflu is approved for the treatment of the Influenza virus and also aids from futher spread with in the body, treating flu at its source. Its mechanism of action includes attacking the virus that causes the flu instead of simply masking the symptoms of the flu in adults and children over 1 year of age. It is also indicated as a prophylaxis against the flu.

Tamiflu facts include:

The trade name for Tamiflu is oseltamivir phosphate

Unlike other antiviral flu medications, such as Flumadine and Symmetrel, Tamiflu is effective against both type A and B strains of flu

The drug helps in the reduction of the duration of the flu symptoms by about 1.3 days

This medication is a neuraminidase inhibitor

There is no generic version of Tamiflu available on the market and neither is it available through the NHS.

How does Tamiflu work?

Tamiflu, an antiviral drug, is used in the treatment and prophylaxis of both Influenza virus A and B. A neuraminidase inhibitor, Tamiflu acts as a transition-state analogue inhibitor of influenza neuraminidase, which helps in the prevention of new viruses emerging from infected cells. Tamiflu is the only neuraminidase inhibitor that has been proven to fight against Bird Flu.

Tamiflu was the first commercially developed, orally active neuraminidase inhibitor. Considered a pro-drug, Tamiflu is hydrolysed hepatically to active metabolite, the free carboxylate of oseltamivir.

Tamiflu is indicated for treatment and prevention in people at least one year of age and above. Reports are that Tamiflu may have an adverse effect on infants under the age of one.

Tamiflu Dosages

Tamiflu tablets are available as 75mg capsules and as a 12mg/ml tutti-frutti flavored oral suspension for children who are too young to swallow the pills. Tamiflu can be taken either with or without food. But, there are reduced chances of upset stomach if Tamiflu is taken with a light snack, milk, or a meal. In addition, this drug does not treat other flu-like viral infections, such as the stomach flu, colds, or RSV.

Tamiflu treatment should be started with the first appearance of the flu symptoms or soon after exposure to the flu. If one has the flu then Tamiflu must be taken twice a day for five days. But, if you want to take Tamiflu as a preventive medication against the flu, Tamiflu must be taken once a day for ten days. Tamiflu can be taken for up to six weeks. Do not take two doses at a time to make up for a missed dose.

Tamiflu precautions

Safety and effectiveness of Tamiflu have not been determined in people with chronic heart or lung disease, kidney failure, or in people with other underlying medical conditions. In addition:

Efficacy for Tamiflu has not been established in the treatment of flu-like illnesses caused by any virus other than influenza A and B (e.g., stomach flu, common cold, or other respiratory illnesses not caused by influenza).

Tamiflu is not known to work in other kinds of infections that appear like influenza or occur along with influenza, and need different types of treatment.

Taking Tamiflu should not affect an individual’s decision to have an annual influenza vaccination.

The safety and efficacy of repeated courses of Tamiflu treatment have not been established.

Tamiflu is not indicated for treatment or prevention of the flu in patients less than 1 year of age.

Tamiflu side effects

Vomiting, abdominal pain, epistaxis (nosebleeds), ear disorders, conjunctivitis (pinkeye) and nausea are the most common side effects of Tamiflu. Tamiflu side effects are mostly mild to moderate and are generally presented within the first two days of taking the medication. Sometimes, taking the medication on a full stomach may prevent these side effects.

Severe rash is another side effect of Tamiflu and the medication must be stopped in case this happens.

With Tamiflu, some people are at an increased risk of seizures, confusion, delirium, hallucinations, abnormal behavior, convulsions, and encephalitis.

In order to prevent side effects, it is also essential to tell your healthcare professional about receiving nasally administered influenza virus vaccine during the past two weeks.

In April of the year 2009, a potentially deadly condition was discovered in the United States. Originally dubbed the “swine flu”, the H1N1 swine flu was found to be highly contagious. This form of the influenza is so infectious that within a week cases were being reported from all over the world. Medical teams quickly went to work to learn as much as they could about the illness so that a means of stopping the transmission could be discovered. On the 22nd day of September that same year an organization known as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established the fact that doctors should issue specific antiviral medication by prescription to those that were found to have the condition. In this guide, you will learn about the H1N1 swine flu antiviral that have been found to be productive in preventing and treating the swine flu.

Antiviral Priority

While the H1N1 swine flu has been established as a condition that could be potentially life threatening, it has been determined that most individuals that suffer from it will actually progress back to their normal state of health with little to no complications. There are certain groups of people, however, that are considered to be at a higher risk for developing the swine flu and experiencing medical complications as a result of this development. For this reason, medical professionals agreed upon a priority list. This is nothing more than a qualifying list for the antiviral that are available. Those that fit into a high risk category will receive the antiviral medications prior to those that are not on the list. The following represents those that will get the medication first:

• Those that are in a hospital and that are considered to be at risk for having or developing the H1N1 swine flu will receive antiviral drugs.

• If an adult has reached the age of sixty five, they will need to likely take the antiviral medication.

• Women that are carrying a child through pregnancy should get these types of medications if the H1N1 virus is suspected.

• Children – particularly under the age of five – will likely be prescribed antiviral medication if they are exhibiting the symptoms associated with the condition.

• If an individual is under the age of nineteen and have been experimenting with aspirin therapy throughout their lives, it is important for them to get the antiviral prescription.

• If a child or an adult has a medical condition that could overlap the H1N1 swine flu once contracted and would result in potentially dangerous health situations, they should take the medication.

Conclusion

If you are interested in preventing and/or treating the H1N1, it is absolutely essential to ensure that you talk to your doctor about the antiviral medication available for the swine flu. The two most common prescription drugs for this particular condition are called Relenza and Tamiflu. These medications will prevent the swine flu from spreading throughout your body. By doing this, it assists in eliminating the virus more quickly from your body. If you are interested in learning more about H1N1 swine flu antiviral treatment, it is important that you discuss it with your doctor.

Both Relenza and Tamiflu are medications prescribed for the treatment of Influenza A and B. They have been seen to be effective against the fight against swine flu. For the present, before the swine flu vaccine is put out on the market, Relenza and Tamiflu will remain the two medications in use by the doctors to help treat the various symptoms associated with swine flu. Both antiviral medications are in great demand across the world for the treatment against swine flu.

The spread of Influenza

Influenza is a medical condition that is highly contagious. It’s important to know about the spread of the influenza virus and how it targets the body to know just how Relenza or Tamiflu help treat the virus and its symptoms. The flu virus specifically targets the respiratory cells of the body. It infects the lining of the respiratory tract, which leads it to swell and inflame. Its rapid spread is a result of its replication inside the host cell. In a very short time span, hundreds of copies of the virus are produced and the host cell is destroyed. These virus replications then attack the new host cells and again replicate inside the cells.

Relenza

Relenza – its active ingredient as Zanamivir – belongs to a family of medications known as neuraminidase inhibitors and is marketed by GlaxoSmithKline. It is used in the prevention and treatment of the Influenza virus A and B. Its latest use is in the treatment of swine flu. Zanamivir binds itself to the active site of the neuraminidase protein. This restricts the influenza virus to the host cell and limits its spread. As it cannot infect other cells due to the action of Relenza, the spread of influenza is restricted to a particular area. This helps in treating the virus in a successful manner.

Tamiflu

Tamiflu, with the active ingredient oseltamivir, belongs to a family of medications known as neuraminidase inhibitors. Manufactured by Roche, it’s a highly effective drug that is popularly prescribed for the treatment of influenza and swine flu. Like Relenza, this medication also prevents the spread of the influenza virus in the body by restricting its spread from the host cell. To be taken by mouth, the ideal dosage of Tamiflu is the prerogative of the medical experts prescribing it to you. It can be taken with or without food. However, it has been noted that if you take Tamiflu with a light snack, milk, or with your meals, you might not suffer from side effects like nausea or vomiting.

The Difference between Swine flu and Influenza

The fact that swine flu and influenza can both be treated by Relenza and Tamiflu means that the foundation of both the medical conditions remains the same, but there are a few differences. Without a medical confirmation, as a layman you will not be able to distinguish between swine flu and influenza. The symptoms of normal influenza are exacerbated in swine flu. It’s only after specific tests are conducted that swine flu can be identified.
Zithromax online no prescription
In children the symptoms of swine flu include:

In adults the symptoms include:

Difference between Tamiflu and Relenza

The primary difference between Tamiflu and Relenza lie in their active agents and mode of intake. Oseltamivir is the active ingredient in Tamiflu, while zanamivir is the active ingredient in Relenza. While Relenza has to be inhaled, Tamiflu is available in the form of pills. Both act in a similar fashion when it comes to preventing the spread of the influenza virus in a person’s body.

There is also a difference between the two when it comes to side effects. The intake of Tamiflu has side effects like nausea and vomiting linked to it. On the other hand the fact that Relenza is inhaled means that nausea and vomiting as side effects do not enter the picture.

When a woman is pregnant, she is not supposed to be taking just about any drug because it might have side effects on the baby. Every time a pregnant woman takes something for an illness, she must be extremely careful of what medications she will be taking.

But what if a pregnant woman does contract swine flu or H1N1? Since the usual treatment for this is Tamiflu which had been categorized by the FDA under the medical category “C”, what should a pregnant woman do? Shouldn’t Tamiflu and pregnancy be dealt with accordingly?

A little basic information is essential. Tamiflu is not generally recommended for use in treating pregnant women due to the fact that side effects that may occur on the fetus have not been scrupulously studied. But since the outbreak of the H1N1, things have changed.

With the turn of events, Tamiflu can be administered to pregnant women who happen to have received the H1N1 vaccine but still developed the swine flu anyhow. The thing here is that if a woman has received her H1N1 shot, which is recommended for pregnant women since it basically does not contain the live virus, then she may start taking Tamiflu at any period. But more importantly, if a woman has already received the nasal mist H1N1 live vaccine prior to finding out that she is with child, then Tamiflu should not be taken until about two weeks have already passed since she has had that vaccination shot.

If Tamiflu and pregnancy are causing you any concern, then you need to take note that if a pregnant woman is developing flu-like symptoms and you doubt her to have had an H1N1 exposure, then she ought to be monitored carefully by doctors when she is taking the Tamiflu.

The length of time for which Tamiflu needs to be taken is similar to an antibiotic, which involves an entire course that needs to be finished. For instance, ten pills are prescribed to be taken by a patient. Then the patient must definitely take all of them as directed with no excuses.

Pregnant women most especially must make any report about unusual side effects to any doctor instantaneously. Some of Tamiflu’s side effects may include irrational behavior, confusion, or simply a skin rash. However, vomiting and nausea are also common side effects of Tamiflu. Signs for dehydration must also be noted in Tamiflu and pregnancy cases.

Do you suffer from cold sores? If so, then you certainly want a medicine that can shorten their duration for sure. Well, does Valtrex cold sore medication help in this regard? Here’s a review to give you some answers.

As a cold sore remedy, Valtrex by Glaxo Smith Kline may well be one of the better medications available. Valtrex is the actual brand name for Valacyclovir Hydrochloride. It comes in pill form to treat herpes, herpes simplex or cold sores, in addition to shingles and chicken pox.

While it is true that Valtrex is one of the best as a cold sore remedy, it is not cheap. A 500 mg pill will cost approximately $6.00 each, while a 1000 mg pill will run $10.00 each. Taking four of the 1000 mg pills will cost you $40, but if you are suffering from a cold sore, I consider it money well spent.

I have a friend who suffers from several bouts with cold sores throughout the year. He has tried every cold sore remedy, cold sore medication, and every other home remedy for cold sores. Nothing has worked for him like Valtrex.

He starting taking Valtrex just as the instructions say to do, at the first sign of a tingling sensation. He took two 1000 mg pills twice a day for one day. The cold sore went away without ever breaking out. it never broke the surface. This was amazing.

If you suffer from cold sores, then you know that when they break out you’re looking at 10-14 days of an ugly, painful cold sore. If you’re taking Valtrex this won’t happen. Compared to any over-the-counter cold sore remedy, there is no question about which is the best.

The key for any cold sore medication to work is catching the sore before it breaks through the surface of your skin. Once it breaks out there is no cold sore remedy that will eliminate it in a day or two, Valtrex included. But if you take Valtrex before this happens, then it will flat out eliminate it immediately.

For anyone who has cold sores and has been looking for a medicine that works, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about Valtrex. It may be the cold sore remedy you’re looking for.

All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.