Influenza: Treatment and Prevention (Nursing)

00:00 Okay, so we're going to look at these influenza antiviral medications.

00:05 They're used to treat influenza and some can prevented.

00:09 So let's look at it this way treating it in one column preventing it in the other column.

00:16 So there's a big difference, treat it means I already have it, prevent it is a oh, I've been exposed to it and I'm worried about not getting it.

00:25 So that's why I'm going to use those medications.

00:29 Now look at the first column, we've got the list of the columns there and got the trade name for you.

00:34 It's active against both influenza A and B.

00:38 So go back underline that generic name.

00:42 That's kind of a weird sounding one.

00:43 That's why the trade name will help you remember it? However on an exam what you'll see is the generic name particularly on the NCLEX exam.

00:53 So make sure you take that kind of unusual name and underline it.

00:57 Now something that will help you as that ends in "VIR".

01:00 That's usually a clue that this medication is going to treat a virus.

01:05 Now, let's talk about prevention.

01:08 Now these have activity against both influenza A and B.

01:12 That's good news.

01:14 Okay, so you've probably heard these Tamiflu, Relenza, Rapivab.

01:18 Those are the drugs trade names.

01:21 Go back and look at their generic names.

01:24 So spend some time here on this slide with making sure you familiarize yourself with the a generic name for these medications.

01:31 Look at what category they belong to Neuraminidase Inhibitors, okay? So that's really important that you remember these drug names belong to this category, And our goal is to prevent the influenza from attacking that patient.

01:50 Okay, so when should Olsetamivir or Tamiflu be started? Yeah, this is what we talked about earlier.

01:58 Like these drugs are great.

02:00 But what's the problem with these drugs or what's the special instruction with these drugs? It's all in the timing.

02:09 It's going to treat influenza.

02:11 The patient can only have symptoms for 2 days meaning within 48 Hours of symptoms starting the patient needs to go and see the physician.

02:19 To reach out for the healthcare team in order to get this medication and for it to be effective.

02:25 So for using it for treatment if it's been longer than 48 hours for symptoms.

02:30 This drug is just really isn't going to help.

02:33 Now if the patient has been exposed.

02:35 Whoa, look at this.

02:38 We can use this medication for both treatment and prophylaxis.

02:43 So somebody in your home is influenza positive you get in the right timing of the window.

02:49 It's within their 48 hours or them starting symptoms.

02:52 They can take the medication to treatment.

02:54 You can take the medication to prevent.

02:57 Hopefully prevent you contracting influenza.

03:01 So it's got to be within the same time periods.

03:04 This will be easier for you to remember whether you're coming for treatment or you want prophylaxis.

03:09 You want to make sure that you get this medication started within 48 Hours of exposure or within 48 Hours of symptoms.

03:17 Now if you're doing it for prophylaxis, you should start it and continue for 10 days.

03:21 I know some patients who keep this medication on hand.

03:25 They have a script in their home at all times because someone in the home has cystic fibrosis, so they have any hint that this has happened.

03:33 They all take the prophylactic medication to make sure they don't bring it home to their family member.

03:38 High-risk patients the cystic fibrosis patient I talk to you about would be an example, nursing home patients.

03:44 They can take this continuously for up to 42 days and oftentimes that's what this family will do during if it's a really intense flu going on.

03:54 Okay so usually the flu is bad news, but we're looking with influenza.

03:59 We've got some little options here right? As long as you get treatment quickly.

04:05 So 48 hours is the magic number.

04:08 Two days is all you've got for an intervention to help.

04:12 The patient is particularly high risk, they can take this medication continuously for 42 days.

04:19 That's six weeks.

04:21 So that's going to give you hopefully enough prophylaxis to get you through the most dangerous are vulnerable period for that patient.

04:28 Okay, so make sure you're clear on which medication are we talking about? Right. We're talking about Tamiflu or Oseltamivir We know that it's a virus because we've got that clue at the end "VIR".

04:43 We know the key point is timing.

04:45 we know I can use it for treatment or for prophylaxis we've got somebody particularly fragile we can keep them on it for up to six weeks.

04:54 So back to that timing thing start a prophylaxis treatment 12 hours after symptom onset, symptom duration should be cut back by three days.

05:03 So if I was, if I get in there really early within 12 hours, you'll probably cut about three days off of me failing really miserable off.

05:11 If it's within 24 hours, then it's going to be less than two days if it's 36 hours and you're giving me about a better day in a little bit of change.

05:21 so you see yet has to be within 48 hours, but look at the difference if I'd get it within 12 hours.

05:28 Makes a significant difference It'll save you a whole day.

05:32 So these drugs can reduce the symptoms duration and severity.

05:37 So you're still going to be sick, but it's not going to last as long and you're not going to feel as bad.

05:42 You also are going to minimize the risk of developing complications after influenza-like sinusitis and bronchitis and none of those are fun-itis.

05:52 You don't want, that are no fun.

05:55 Sinusitis really makes you feel rundown same thing with bronchitis.

06:00 So we want to make sure that patients have the shortest duration of influenza and the lowest risk of complications.

06:08 So it takes education.

06:09 Hey, don't just power through, don't just suffer through this seek health gets a simple test to see if your influenza positive and the quicker we can get medication into you, you'll feel better.

06:21 You'll be back to normal health quicker and people are around you are less likely to also pick up the influenza.