Flu-Fighting Drugs For Seniors Reduce ComplicationsVaccination Still Best Strategy, Study Says< September 10, 2003 >Giving seniors drugs to fight the flu can cut the risk of complications and hospitalization, according to a study reported in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine. But the new study making the claim also stresses that vaccination remains the best strategy for this age group. Vaccination decreases the likelihood of getting the flu and reduces hospitalization by one-third and death by half, the researchers report. Flu sends about 114,000 US adults to hospitals and results in 36,000 deaths each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. More than 90 percent of the deaths occur among people 65 and older. The study looked at published information and computer models to compare strategies for caring for patients over 65 with flu-like illness. The researchers found treatment with the flu drug oseltamivir, or Tamiflu®, proved cost-effective for patients over 65 who had flu-like symptoms during flu season but who had not been vaccinated or were considered at high risk for complications. High-risk patients include those with heart or lung disease. But during flu season, patients who have been vaccinated and are considered at low risk for complications should be tested for flu, then given medication only if flu is detected, the study suggests. Previous research has found treating younger adults with flu drugs is cost-effective because it cuts lost work time, the researchers say. Until now, however, the cost-effectiveness of flu medication among older adults remained unknown. For this study the researchers weighed direct medical costs, including doctor visits, diagnostic tests, medications, and hospitalization. Study author Dr. Michael B. Rothberg says complications from the flu, such as pneumonia, typically lead to hospitalization and flu drugs can reduce such complications. "In that case, the cost of the drugs may turn out to be very little compared with the cost of hospitalization for complications," says Dr. Rothberg, an internist at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass. Physicians are often hesitant to prescribe flu drugs because they are expensive and will not work if the patient has a virus other than the flu, Dr. Rothberg says. He also notes that flu medication works only if taken within 48 hours of the first symptoms. The benefits of flu medication notwithstanding, Dr. Rothberg stresses the vital importance of vaccinations for those over 65. Vaccines cost less and are more effective than treatment, he says, and vaccinated patients live longer and incur fewer expenses than non-vaccinated patients. "Everyone over 65 needs to be vaccinated, and I can't stress that enough," Dr. Rothberg says. But only about two-thirds of Americans 65 and older have gotten annual flu vaccinations in the past three years, says Dr. Carolyn Bridges, a medical epidemiologist in the CDC's National Immunization Program. A few mild flu seasons recently may have kept some from getting vaccinations, Dr. Bridges says. "Sometimes, people's memories are short," she says. "I think, in part, sometimes we forget how severe influenza can be, and that may contribute to some vaccination rates not being as high as we'd like to see them." The CDC strongly recommends flu vaccines for anyone 6 months old or older who is at "increased risk" for complications from the flu. This includes people 65 and older. Vaccines also are recommended for:
Acccording to the CDC, there will be enough flu vaccine this year, so individuals who wants to get vaccinated should be able to do so as soon as the vaccine becomes available in October. Production and distribution of the flu vaccine was delayed in 2000 and 2001, prompting the CDC to recommend that people 65 and older and people at high risk for complications from the flu get the vaccine first. Others were urged to wait until November to receive vaccines. Flu season typically runs from November through March or beyond. The flu season has peaked in January or later during 22 of the past 26 flu seasons, the CDC reports. Always consult your physician for more information. |
For more information on health and wellness, please visit health information modules on this Web site. What Is Influenza?Influenza (or flu) is a highly contagious viral respiratory tract infection. An estimated 10 to 20 percent of the population in the US contract influenza each year. Influenza is characterized by the abrupt onset of fever, muscle aches, sore throat, and a nonproductive cough. Influenza can make people of any age ill. Although most people are ill with influenza for only a few days, some have a much more serious illness and may need to be hospitalized. Influenza can also lead to pneumonia and death. Influenza viruses are divided into three types, designated as A, B, and C. Influenza types A and B are responsible for epidemics of respiratory illness that occur almost every winter and are often associated with increased rates for hospitalization and death. Efforts to control the impact of influenza are focused on types A and B. Influenza type C usually causes either a very mild respiratory illness or no symptoms at all. It does not cause epidemics and does not have the severe public health impact that influenza types A and B do. Influenza viruses continually mutate or change, which enables the virus to evade the immune system of its host. This makes people susceptible to influenza infection throughout their lives. What Causes Influenza?The influenza virus is generally passed from person to person by airborne transmission. such as sneezing or coughing. But, the virus can also live for a short time on objects - such as doorknobs, pens, pencils, keyboards, telephone receivers, and eating or drinking utensils. Therefore, it may also be spread by touching something that has been handled by someone infected with the virus and then touching your own mouth, nose, or eyes. Influenza is called a respiratory disease, but the whole body seems to suffer when a person is infected. People usually become acutely ill with several, or all, of the following symptoms:
Fever and body aches usually last for three to five days, but cough and fatigue may last for two weeks or more. Although nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may accompany the flu, these gastrointestinal symptoms are rarely prominent. "Stomach flu" is an incorrect term sometimes used to describe gastrointestinal illnesses caused by other microorganisms. The symptoms of the flu may resemble other medical conditions. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis. Online Resources(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Coalition for Adult Immunization |
