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The United States is experiencing its Worst flu season in more than two decadeslead to More than 15 million cases and at least 7,400 deaths.
Doctors say the season has not yet reached its peak and cases may continue into May.
But experts question whether we are doing enough to combat the situation The severity of the infection.
Prescription antiviral medications For example TamifluRelenza, Rapivab and Xofluza can Reduce symptoms and shorten the time people are sickaccording to federal health officials.
However, according to recent assessments, doctors are not as reliant on these drugs as we are.
“We are grossly underutilizing antiviral drugs for influenza,” said Janet Englund, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Washington. atlantic Tuesday.
Nothing new
A team of researchers across the country said in a November report that the proportion of hospital patients receiving antiviral treatment for influenza was “relatively stable” before the pandemic. study.
However, antiviral drugs have been underutilized since then.
This was observed among children and adolescents hospitalized with influenza in 2022-2023.
In 2023 to 2024, approximately half of children and adolescents with influenza-related hospitalizations and approximately two-thirds of children and adolescents with influenza-related outpatient visits did not receive recommended antiviral treatment.
The researchers wrote that this highlights “a missed opportunity to reduce the risk of influenza complications” and emphasizes “the importance of increasing awareness of current antiviral treatment recommendations among pediatric health care professionals.”
So why does this happen?
Well, the answer is indeed complicated, but researchers say there are several possible reasons.
Waiting for test results and guidance on treatment timing is part of the reason.
Treatment is most effective and can help reduce flu complications when started within two days of the onset of flu symptoms.
“However, starting treatment later can still be helpful, especially if the patient has a higher-risk health condition or is very ill from the flu (such as a patient who is hospitalized),” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
Concern about the side effects associated with taking the medication may also be one of the reasons for not prescribing antiviral medications.
Tamiflu capsules can cause nausea and vomiting, Relenza can cause difficulty breathing, and Repivar can cause diarrhea. There are other extremely rare side effects, such as seizures, allergic reactions, and life-threatening rashes.
That’s why antiviral drugs are recommended for people who are at higher risk of complications from the flu. underlying health conditions or age. This group includes Americans over the age of 65 and under the age of two.
The CDC says most people with mild illness who are not at high risk will not need antiviral drugs.
Use antiviral drugs
According to reports, the role of antiviral drugs is to prevent the virus from multiplying in the body. flag health.
However, they are not a replacement for the flu shot, which is the best way to help prevent seasonal flu.
An annual flu shot is recommended for everyone six months and older, and antiviral medications are a second line of defense.
However, using them more frequently can help save lives.
Adults hospitalized with influenza have lower risk of death if treatment starts early Research Published in 2024.
“We know that health care providers have historically underutilized antiviral drugs, so this would be a good time for health care providers and physicians to really change their practices and prescribe antiviral drugs like Tamiflu more freely,” said Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of California, Davis. MDLinx.
“it Do shorten the course of disease, Do Reduce the severity of disease, Do Reduce hospitalizations. “