Tamiflu must be used at the right time and for the right person.
Currently, the number of flu cases continues to increase, and there have even been outbreaks of seasonal flu in schools. Many people arbitrarily use the flu treatment drug Tamiflu when they or their family members (including children) have signs of fever, cough, and runny nose. Meanwhile, many medical facilities have also recorded many cases of secondary flu infections after patients arbitrarily used the treatment drug.
People should not arbitrarily use Tamiflu when they see signs of cough or fever (illustrative photo).
Dr. Dong Phu Khiem, Deputy Director of the Intensive Care Center, Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said that antiviral drugs for influenza are only beneficial for people with severe flu (hospitalized), or those with flu and risk factors for severe illness and need to be evaluated and prescribed by a doctor.
According to Mr. Chau Thanh Tu, Head Pharmacist of the Pharmaceutical Professional Council, FPT Long Chau Pharmacy System and Vaccination Center, "Most flu cases usually go away on their own after 5-7 days, in some cases it takes longer than 1-2 weeks depending on each person's resistance. Not everyone needs to use Tamiflu. Some patients with underlying medical conditions (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, immunodeficiency...) need to take the medication as prescribed."
This expert warns that using Tamiflu on your own can be harmful to your health. This is similar to what happened during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic when some people abused Molnupiravir without consulting or having a doctor's prescription, which can easily lead to many consequences.
Using the wrong medicine at the wrong time, for the wrong subjects: Children are too young and do not choose the right dosage form or instructions for use; some special subjects such as pregnant women, breastfeeding women, people with liver failure, kidney failure must be extremely careful; missing doses can easily lead to drug resistance.
There are cases where the correct dose is used but there is confusion when encountering unwanted effects and side effects; drug interactions with drugs being used for certain diseases (underlying diseases), especially for the elderly and the risk of complications when using drugs is very dangerous. If overdose is used, it can easily lead to drug poisoning.
Tamiflu is not prescribed for flu prevention in children.
Regarding children, MSc. Dr. Tran Thu Nguyet, Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine, said: Regarding the safety of Tamiflu for children, Tamiflu was approved for use in 1999 for use in children 2 weeks of age and older. The side effects of the drug are usually mild. Therefore, the drug is considered safe to use. The mechanism of Tamiflu is an antiviral drug that works by preventing viruses from multiplying in the body.
"A pediatrician may prescribe Tamiflu for children with the following symptoms: Fever/chills; cough; runny nose; sore throat; body aches; fatigue... Parents should remember that doctors only prescribe Tamiflu when children have flu symptoms and test positive for influenza A or influenza B and usually use it within 48 hours of symptoms appearing. Therefore, parents should not use Tamiflu indiscriminately without a doctor's prescription.
If your child has severe flu symptoms or is at high risk for complications from the flu, your doctor may also prescribe Tamiflu later in life. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), risk factors include children under 5 years old, especially children under 2 years old with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease," said Dr. Nguyet.
MSc. Dr. Tran Thu Nguyet, Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine, noted: Tamiflu is not prescribed to prevent influenza in all children, unless the child is at very high risk of severe influenza. Medical experts recommend that the best method to prevent influenza in children 6 months of age and older is to get a seasonal influenza vaccine every year.
Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/thuoc-tamiflu-dieu-tri-cum-dung-sao-cho-dung-192250218114857857.htm
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