 |
Patient Information Sheet
Zanamivir (marketed as Relenza)
PDF Print Version 
This is a summary of the most important information about Relenza. For details, talk to your healthcare professional.
What is Relenza used for?
Relenza is for treating adults, adolescents, and pediatric patients 7 years of age and older with the flu whose flu symptoms started within the last day or two. Relenza is also used to reduce the chance of getting the flu in people aged 5 year and older who have a higher chance of getting the flu because they spend time with someone who has the flu. Relenza can also reduce the chance of getting the flu if there is a flu outbreak in the community.
Special Warnings Concerning Relenza:
- Some patients have had bronchospasm (wheezing) or serious breathing problems when they used Relenza. Many but not all of these patients had previous asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Relenza has not been shown to shorten the duration of influenza 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 recommended for people with chronic respiratory disease such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- If you have lung disease you should have a fast-acting inhaled bronchodilator available while being treated with Relenza. If your breathing worsens, stop using Relenza and call your health care provider.
- People with the flu, particularly children and adolescents, may be at an increased risk of seizures, confusion, or abnormal behavior early in their illness. These events may occur after beginning Relenza or may occur when flu is not treated. These events are uncommon but may result in accidental injury to the patient. Therefore, patients should be observed for signs of unusual behavior and a healthcare professional should be contacted immediately if the patient shows any signs of unusual behavior.
General Precautions with Relenza:
- Relenza has not been shown to treat flu-like illnesses caused by any virus other than influenza A and B (e.g., stomach flu, common cold, or other respiratory illnesses not caused by influenza).
- Relenza was not effective in reducing the chance of getting the flu in 2 studies in nursing home patients.
- Stop taking Relenza and contact your healthcare professional if you experience signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction such as shortness of breath, swelling of eyelids, face, or lips or a skin rash.
- Other kinds of infections can appear like influenza or occur along with influenza, and need different types of treatment. Contact your healthcare professional if you feel worse or develop new symptoms during or after treatment, or if your influenza symptoms do not start to get better.
- Taking Relenza should not affect your decision to have an annual influenza vaccination.
- The safety and efficacy of repeated courses of treatment have not been established.
- If you use a bronchodilator and are scheduled to use it at the same time as Relenza, use your bronchodilator first before using Relenza.
What should I tell my doctor or healthcare professional?
Tell your doctor or healthcare professional if you:
- are taking any other medications
- have chronic lung disease such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- are trying to become pregnant, are already pregnant, or are breast-feeding
What are some possible side effects of Relenza? (This is NOT a complete list of side effects reported with Relenza. Your healthcare provider can discuss with you a more complete list of side effects.)
See the "Warnings" and "Precautions" sections for information about the risk of bronchospasm and allergic-like reactions.
Other side effects may include:
- headache
- diarrhea
- nausea
- vomiting
- nasal irritation
- bronchitis
- cough
- sinus inflammation
- ear, nose and throat infections
- dizziness
For more detailed information about Relenza, ask your healthcare professional.
 Back
to Top  Back to Drug Index
PDF requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader
Date created: March 10, 2008
|
|
