About the Flu
Flu is in the news, but what does it all mean
You’ll find reports and stories about the flu on TV and in the newspapers. But all that information can be overwhelming and sometimes confusing. Relenza.com is here to help you sort it all out.
Seasonal flu: Usually, when people refer to the flu, they are talking about the seasonal flu. Outbreaks of the seasonal flu are predictable and most often occur in the winter months.
Pandemic flu: Unlike the seasonal flu, a flu pandemic is not predictable. It happens when a new influenza A virus appears, causing serious illness and spreading easily from person to person.
Antiviral drugs are medicines used to help treat and prevent influenza.
If you have developed symptoms such as fever of 100°F (37.8°C) or higher and a cough within the past 2 days, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They work best when started soon after illness starts (within 2 days). If you think you have symptoms of the flu and they have appeared within the last day or two, you should immediately talk to your healthcare provider to see if RELENZA might be right for you.
Learn more about RELENZA.
The Relenza.com Web site contains links to third-party Web sites on the Internet. These links are provided as a service to individuals interested in more information. These sites are not part of this GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Web site. The content and materials in these third party Web sites are not produced or endorsed by GSK and may refer to uses of GSK products that are not recommended by GSK. GSK does not have control over the content of the information provided on these Web sites and therefore does not warrant their accuracy and completeness.
Pandemic Planning from GlaxoSmithKline
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
PandemicFlu.gov, the official US government Web site for information on pandemic influenza
Important Safety Information about RELENZA
Some people have had bronchospasm (wheezing) or serious breathing problems when they used RELENZA. Many but not all of these people had previous asthma or other pulmonary disease. RELENZA has not been shown to shorten the time of flu in people with these diseases. Because of the risk of side effects and because it has not been shown to help them, RELENZA is not best for people with chronic respiratory disease such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
If you develop symptoms such as wheezing or shortness of breath, stop using RELENZA and contact your doctor right away.
If you have diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and your doctor has prescribed RELENZA, you should have a fast-acting, inhaled bronchodilator available for your use. If you are scheduled to use an inhaled bronchodilator at the same time as RELENZA, use the inhaled bronchodilator before using RELENZA.
Other kinds of infections can appear like influenza or occur along with influenza, and need different kinds of treatment. Contact your doctor if you feel worse or develop new symptoms during or after treatment, or if your flu symptoms do not start to get better.
In studies, the most common side effects with RELENZA have been headaches; diarrhea; nausea; vomiting; nasal irritation; bronchitis; cough; sinusitis; ear, nose, and throat infections; and dizziness. Other side effects that have been reported, but were not as common, include rashes and allergic reactions, some of which were severe.
People with influenza may be at increased risk of seizures, confusion, or abnormal behavior early in their illness. Therefore, patients should be observed for signs of unusual behavior, and a healthcare professional contacted if needed.
This list of side effects is not complete. Your doctor or pharmacist can discuss with you a more complete list of possible side effects with RELENZA. Talk to your doctor promptly about any side effects you have.
Important Safety Information
Some people have had bronchospasm (wheezing) or serious breathing problems when they used RELENZA. Many but not all of these people had previous asthma or pulmonary disease.