Tamiflu is a prescription antiviral drug that is given primarily to high-risk patients who are reasonably suspected of being infected with AH1N1 flu. Who should take tamiflu? The dosage of tamiflu depends on the age of the patient and on whether the patient is already sick with the flu or has only had contact with the sick person.

Tamiflucontains oseltamivir (a neuramidase inhibitor) to which theAH1N1 viruses are sensitive . Tamiflu is available as capsules (yellow: 30 mg; gray: 45 mg; yellow and gray: 75 mg) and as a powder for oral suspension (12 mg / ml). Administration of tamiflu is allowed from the age of 1 month, both for prophylaxis and treatment.

Tamiflu and babies

The manufacturer of tamiflu recommends, however, that in infants less than 1 year of age, the decision to administer Tamiflu should be based on the assessment by the treating physician of the potential benefit of treatment against the potential risk to the infant.

Tamiflu and pregnancy and lactation

Pregnant women may take Tamiflu after considering the available safety data, the pathogenicity of the circulating flu strain and the underlying disease in the pregnant woman. For a woman who is breastfeeding, administration of oseltamivir may be considered if there are significant potential benefits to the nursing mother.

Who is tamiflu treatment recommended for?

  • people at higher risk of a severe course of the disease (e.g. pregnant women, newborns and children up to 2 years of age and patients with chronic lung diseases, heart diseases, metabolic diseases, after chronic steroid therapy)
  • people with severe or worsening flu

People with suspected pneumonia should be treated immediately with antibiotics and antiviral drugs.

Tamiflu dosage

With the flu, Tamiflu is started within two days of the onset of symptoms. The drug is given as one dose twice daily for five days.

In the prevention of flu, Tamiflu is given within two days of contact with someone who has flu. It is given in one dose once a day for at least 10 days. During a flu epidemic, the dosethis can be administered for up to six weeks.

Adults and children weighing more than 40 kg are given a dose of 75 mg of Tamiflu. Children who weigh less than 40 kg are given a dose according to their weight using the lower-dose capsules (30 or 45 mg), and for children who cannot swallow capsules, an oral suspension. The dose should be reduced accordingly in patients with impaired renal function. For details, see the patient information leaflet.

Tamiflu: contraindications

Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients.

Flu treatment

What's the best way to cure the flu? This question is answered by our expert Arkadiusz Miller, internist of the Lux Med group.

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