Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a number of different flu viruses. Originally referred to as swine flu, the H1N1 is a new Type A viral strain that first appeared in April 2009. The virus quickly spread worldwide,...
In its "Take Three Actions to Fight the Flu" campaign, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists prescription antiviral drugs as the third and last line of defense against influenza. Although most people with influenza don't need them,...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people with flu will get better with no treatment at all. However, in some cases, your doctor may prescribe medication that prevents you from getting the flu after you have...
A physician may prescribe Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) in capsules or as an oral suspension to treat types A or B influenza infections for children above the age of 1 year. While the medication is only effective for those who have had flu...
If you have kidney disease, you may have difficulty processing medications because your kidneys have a reduced ability to filter the medication and excrete it. Medications may stay in your system for longer amounts of time and cause an increase in...
Almost every kid gets the flu from time to time. Most recover without medical care. However, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year over 20,000 kids are hospitalized for complications related to flu. Supportive care...
Tamiflu, the brand name for oseltamivir, is an antiviral medication used in the treatment of uncomplicated illness due to the influenza infection. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tamiflu for use in adults and children 1...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that influenza causes 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths each year, mostly among children and the elderly. Although most children with influenza recover without medical care,...
Swine flu, also called H1N1, was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in June 2009, after having first been discovered in the spring of that year. Its name refers to the fact that the virus developed in pigs before moving...
Flu is a contagious respiratory illness that infects millions of Americans each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most children recover without medical intervention. However, children under five and children...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antiviral medications are sometimes used to treat swine flu in people who are very sick, people who are at high risk for serious swine flu-related complications and close contacts...
Most people who contract swine flu have mild, self-limited disease that resolves with symptom-based care. However, antiviral drugs may be required in severe cases and for people at high risk of complications of swine flu.
