Swine Flu

Treatment

Most people who get H1N1 flu will likely recover without needing medical care or special antiviral medications. Check with your health care provider about whether you should take antiviral medications to treat the H1N1 flu.

Doctors may prescribe antiviral drugs to treat people who become very sick with the flu or are at high risk for flu complications. The following people may be at high risk:

• Children younger than 5 years old, especially those younger than age 2
• Adults 65 years of age and older
• People with:
  • Chronic lung (including asthma) or heart conditions (except high blood pressure)
  • Kidney, liver, neurologic, and neuromuscular conditions
  • Blood disorders (including sickle cell disease)
  • Diabetes and other metabolic disorders
  • An immune system that does not work well, such as AIDS patients or cancer patients receiving chemotherapy

Other high risk people include:

• Pregnant women
• Anyone younger than age 19 receiving long-term aspirin therapy
• Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities

People who may receive antiviral medications after coming into close contact with a person who is known to have, or probably is infected with the H1N1 virus, include:

• Those at high risk for complications of influenza
• Health care workers, public health workers, or first responders

Oseltamivir or zanamivir are the two drugs recommended for the treatment or prevention of infection with the H1N1, or swine, influenza virus.

People with H1N1 flu should also:

• Get plenty of rest
• Drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, and electrolyte beverages for infants)
• Watch for emergency warning signs (see below)

Expectations (prognosis)

The outlook depends on the severity of the infection, age, and whether there are other medical problems.

Pregnant women and young people appear more likely to get the H1N1 virus and also to have bad outcomes when they become infected.

Surprisingly, people age 65 or older have a lower risk than younger age groups.

For more information, visit:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu
• World Health Organization - www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

Complications

Severe illness may occur along with:

• Pneumonia
• Respiratory failure
• Death

Like seasonal flu, H1N1 flu may make other chronic medical problems worse.

Content
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Reviewer Info: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Also reviewed by Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine.; ADAM Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, 07/31/2009

This feature is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the care and information received from your healthcare provider. Please consult a healthcare professional with any health concerns you may have.