Which antiviral agent is considered appropriate for treating acute influenza?

Enhance your readiness for the Physician Assistant Clinical Knowledge Rating and Assessment Tool (PACKRAT) 4 Exam. Utilize our flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with hints and explanations, to ace your upcoming test!

Multiple Choice

Which antiviral agent is considered appropriate for treating acute influenza?

Explanation:
Zanamivir is an antiviral specifically effective against influenza by inhibiting neuraminidase, an enzyme needed for the release and spread of flu virus from infected cells. When started within about 48 hours of symptom onset, it can shorten the course of illness and lessen severity. The other drugs listed are not active against influenza: the antibiotics target bacteria or other viruses (like herpes), so they wouldn’t treat acute influenza. Zanamivir’s targeted antiviral action for influenza makes it the appropriate choice in this scenario, with the caveat that it’s inhaled and can cause bronchospasm in patients with asthma or COPD.

Zanamivir is an antiviral specifically effective against influenza by inhibiting neuraminidase, an enzyme needed for the release and spread of flu virus from infected cells. When started within about 48 hours of symptom onset, it can shorten the course of illness and lessen severity. The other drugs listed are not active against influenza: the antibiotics target bacteria or other viruses (like herpes), so they wouldn’t treat acute influenza. Zanamivir’s targeted antiviral action for influenza makes it the appropriate choice in this scenario, with the caveat that it’s inhaled and can cause bronchospasm in patients with asthma or COPD.

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