Rates and effectiveness of antiviral use among hospitalized influenza patients

Abstract

The influenza virus is currently a global public health problem. There are several thousand cases of classic and newly emerging atypical influenza virus infections around the world annually. Prevention, early diagnosis and treatment are the keys to managing influenza outbreaks. Some influenza treatments have proven to be more useful than others. A standard antiviral drug has been developed and is recommended for the management of hospitalized influenza patients. This article briefly outlines the rates and effectiveness of antiviral use among hospitalized influenza patients. It also discusses some important considerations regarding controversial issues and future perspectives on antiviral use for the management of hospitalized influenza patients.

Keywords:

• antiviral
• effectiveness
• influenza
• patient
• rate

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• Antiviral drug management is the specific treatment for hospitalized influenza patients.

• The usefulness of early antiviral treatment for hospitalized influenza patient in reducing mortality is confirmed.

• The cost–effectiveness of antiviral treatment is confirmed.

• There are several factors affecting the rate of antiviral drug use among hospitalized influenza patients.

• There are several factors affecting the effectiveness of antiviral drug use among hospitalized influenza patients.

• The practitioner’s role is to update knowledge about recommendations and changing patterns of effectiveness of antiviral drug toward influenza infections.