Precautions to Take With Flu Medicine
People who are allergic to flu medicine or their ingredients should not take them.
Relenza is not generally recommended for people with chronic respiratory diseases such as
asthma or
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (
COPD). In clinical studies, some patients with mild or moderate asthma or COPD had bronchospasm (wheezing) after taking Relenza. If you have an underlying respiratory disease and have been prescribed Relenza, your healthcare provider should instruct you to have a fast-acting inhaled bronchodilator available for use when taking the drug.
The dosage of
Tamiflu may need to be adjusted if you have any type of kidney disease.
None of these flu medicines are recommended for routine use during pregnancy or nursing. These drugs have not been evaluated in pregnant women, and researchers do not know the effects these drugs could have on the unborn child.
In laboratory and in limited clinical studies, there have been no reported interactions of the neuraminidase inhibitors with other drugs. You should talk with your pharmacist or healthcare provider about precautions you should take prior to taking flu medicine.
Resistance to Flu Medicine
When either
Symmetrel or
Flumadine is used for therapy, drug-resistant flu viruses may appear in about one-third of patients. Laboratory studies have shown that
influenza A and B viruses can develop resistance to Relenza and Tamiflu. Currently, there are studies being done on neuraminidase inhibitor-resistance.
Comparison of Flu Medicine
There have not been any studies to date that have directly compared the effectiveness of Relenza, Tamiflu, Symmetrel, and Flumadine for treating influenza A, or Relenza and Tamiflu for treating influenza A or B. The available information suggests that these flu medicines are similarly effective in reducing the duration of uncomplicated acute illness due to influenza A.
Relenza and Tamiflu differ from Symmetrel and Flumadine in terms of their side effects and cost. Symmetrel, and to a lesser extent Flumadine, have been associated with central nervous system side effects, including:
These side effects have not been associated with Relenza or Tamiflu.
On the other hand, Relenza and Tamiflu are significantly more expensive than either Flumadine or Symmetrel.
All four flu medicines are available by prescription only. Therefore, you should consult with your healthcare provider to determine what flu medicine might be best for you.
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