- Home
- » e-Newsletters
CDC advises use of antiviral medication to treat flu
Infection Control Monitor, March 7, 2008
The CDC issued a health advisory February 29 alerting clinicians to the potential benefits of using influenza antiviral medications to treat people at high risk for flu complications or those who are severely ill from the disease.
The CDC issued the alert to re-emphasize the importance of prescribing antiviral medication to treat and prevent the illness in light of reports of substantially increased influenza activity in many communities. The two prescription antiviral medications recommended for flu treatment include oseltamivir, which goes by the trade name Tamiflu, or zanamivir, which goes by the trade name Relenza.
The drugs are known as neuraminidase inhibitors. Recent studies suggest a considerable protective effect against complications associated with influenza when they are used for treatment, the CDC said. Benefits include reducing the risk of death among older adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza. To read the health advisory, click here.
Most Popular
- Articles
-
- Q/A: Volume requirement for reporting hydration services
- Featured blog post: Nurses face felony charges after reporting physician to the Texas Medical Board
- Catch up on what's new with injections and infusions
- Topic: CMS, OESS post new security compliance review information, checklist
- Capturing all necessary codes for IUD insertion and removal can be challenging
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- QA:Coding multiple initial infusions
- News and briefs: Oklahoma Osteopathic Association against residency bill change
- HIPAA Q&A: Level of encryption needed for email
- OB services: Coding inside and outside of the package
- E-mailed
-
- Q/A: Volume requirement for reporting hydration services
- Featured blog post: Nurses face felony charges after reporting physician to the Texas Medical Board
- HIPAA Q&A: Level of encryption needed for email
- CMS has reformulated payments for some bilateral procedures
- Catch up on what's new with injections and infusions
- New conflicts of interest create new challenges
- Q/A. One injection code or two?
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- Identify modifiable risk factors to prevent patient falls
- Hospitals are not bound by InterQual criteria for determining patient status
- Searched