using antivirals and vaccines for the current flu season

October 2009

You'll see changes in recommendations for using antivirals and vaccines for the current flu season.

About 97% of the influenza A viruses circulating now are the novel H1N1 (swine) flu. In fact, CDC now just calls it 2009 H1N1 flu.

Treatment. Don't use antivirals for most patients. Most people don't need them and limiting use will slow resistance.

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Table of Contents

Influenza using antivirals and vaccines for the current flu season
Interaction alerts often pop up about possible serotonin syndrome when patients get more than one serotonergic drug
Diabetes questions about how to switch between insulins
Women's Health You'll hear more about limiting antidepressants during pregnancy
Women's Health whether Yaz and Yasmin (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) are riskier than other combined oral contraceptives
Cardiology whether a DOUBLE dose of clopidogrel (Plavix) improves outcomes in cardiac patients
Generics Many big drugs will go generic in the next few years
Neurology & Pain Embeda (im-BED-a) is a new oral opioid designed to limit abuse
Psychiatry Saphris (SA-fris), a new atypical antipsychotic for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
Respiratory & Allergy Xopenex (levalbuterol) does NOT work any better than albuterol
Respiratory & Allergy new OTC cough and cold syrup called Clofera (chlophedianol/pseudoephedrine)
Statins More questions about resolving statin myopathy will come up
Ophthalmology Claritin Eye and Zyrtec Itchy Eye Drops don't contain the active ingredient that you'd expect