Treatment of Acute Respiratory Infections and Influenza | Specifics and Approaches:

Treatment of Acute Respiratory Infections and Influenza: Specifics and Approaches:

Acute viral infections and influenza are commonplace, especially in the off-season, when viral epidemics affect entire communities. But despite the seemingly harmless nature of colds, the fight against them remains an urgent medical task. No one wants to suffer from runny nose, cough and sore throat, to fall out of life for a few days two or three times a year, so doctors and patients do not stop looking for reliable ways to quickly and safely stop the manifestations of viral infections.

In this article we will talk about the differences between acute viral infections and influenza, about different approaches to their treatment and prevention. Influenza and acute respiratory viral infections:

What are the Differences?

Sore throat, cough, runny nose, chills, fever - all familiar companions of the disease, which is commonly called a cold. If you look at it from a medical point of view, we most often deal with acute respiratory infections (i.e. acute respiratory tract infections).

But there are similar signs of influenza, too. How do they differ?And do you need to differentiate between these diseases if they are so similar?

Influenza and acute respiratory infections share many common features. Both are viral infections. The pathogen enters the body with breathable air, affecting the mucous membranes of the nose, throats, larynx, causing inflammation. The virus then penetrates the bloodstream and intoxication begins. It is evidenced by headaches, body aches, chills and fever. But for the active reproduction of microbes requires special conditions, namely the weakening of the body's defenses.

Often the immunity is reduced during the cold season, so these diseases are called colds. ARVI is the widest group of diseases. Doctors have more than 200 species of pathogens: adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, rheoviruses, parainfluenza viruses and others.

Once ill, a person gets immunity for life. Why do colds repeat themselves two or three times a year with enviable regularity? The reason for this is the diversity of pathogens:

they are different with each infection. Influenza, strictly speaking, is also an acute respiratory viral infection, but it is singled out as a special group because it is heavier than a common cold, and is fraught with dangerous complications. At the beginning of the last century, the infamous Spaniard claimed at least 50 million lives. But even at the current stage of the state of medicine, severe epidemics and influenza pandemics are not uncommon. From time to time there are especially dangerous forms of disease. Suffice it to recall the swine flu pandemic caused by the H1N1 strain.


According to WHO statistics, 250-500 thousand people die every year during seasonal epidemics in the world. Influenza is particularly dangerous for young children, the elderly, pregnant women and weakened patients with chronic lung and cardiovascular diseases. The cunning of the influenza pathogen is in the extreme variability of its properties. There are only three known types of virus: A, B and C, with epidemics usually caused by the first two. But each type has subtypes that depend on the properties of the surface proteins HA (hemagglutininin) and NA (neuraminidases). Therefore, the name of the virus is usually written in the form of a combination of letters and numbers, such as A H1N1. The properties of surface proteins are constantly changing, and with each outbreak of infection new forms appear. Some of them become particularly aggressive.


Information If the flu poses such a threat to public health, why don't scientists create an effective vaccine against the virus? The reason is still in the same variability in the properties of surface proteins HA and NA. There are influenza vaccines, but they only form a short immunity because they only affect a certain strain. At the next outbreak of infection, the properties of the pathogen can change, and the previously vaccinated person will be susceptible to the disease, like everyone else. A similar feature is very common for viruses.


The peak of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections occurs in autumn and winter, when the air temperature ranges from +5 to -5°C. Everybody is susceptible to the disease, but especially children attending kindergarten and primary school are often infected. Their immunity is not yet fully strengthened, and viruses spread extremely quickly in closed collectives. Viral infections weaken local and general immunity, so without proper treatment other diseases often arise. ARVI is often complicated by sinusitis, otitis, tracheitis, bronchitis. Influenza, transferred on the legs, can cause pneumonia, meningitis, encephalitis, heart muscle and liver damage.

Influenza and acute respiratory viral infections Adults are used to treating colds as a mild illness that does not require special treatment. Many people continue to go to work and school, go shopping, use public transport during illness, and use symptomatic means to stop unpleasant events. In doing so, they are not only irresponsible to others, but also put their own health at risk, increasing the likelihood of complications.

Unfortunately, this situation is facilitated by some employers who are reluctant to let their employees go on sick leave, as well as by pharmaceutical companies that actively promote "miraculous" cold remedies. Most of the drugs that supposedly quickly get rid of the disease, in fact, only for a short period of time relieve symptoms: relieve pain in the throat, reduce nasal congestion, knock down the temperature. The real cause of the disease - the virus - they do not affect, and sometimes even contribute to its reproduction.

For Example, uncontrolled reception of antipathetic agents prevents the body from fighting the infection, because the rise in temperature is a natural reaction of immunity. As a result of this "treatment" the duration of the disease increases and complications arise more often.

As for approaches to the treatment of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections, they are in many ways common, but there are some nuances.

Influenza treatment First of all, it should be comprehensive. The doctor and the patient have three tasks: to destroy the virus; to help the immune system fight the infection; to reduce the painful manifestations of the disease. These goals are achieved in different ways: drugs from different pharmaceutical groups and folk recipes are used. Medicines Anti-viral therapy is the mainstay of influenza therapy. The sooner you start using it, the better: after a few days from the beginning of the disease it will become less effective.

There aren't a lot of fluids. Adamantine derivatives (amantadine, rimantadine) are now practically not used: the swine flu pandemic in 2009 showed almost 100% resistance of viruses to them. The WHO anatomical-therapeutic-chemical classification presents zanamivir and oseltamivir ("Renza") neuraminidase inhibitors, as well as umifenovir ("Arbidol"), which prevents the virus from penetrating the cells.

These are the drugs that are most effective against influenza pathogens. Influenza is facilitated by the use of symptomatic agents. Vasoconstrictor drops are used in case of runny nose (not longer than 5 days), in case of sore throat - local antiseptics, in case of cough - mucolytic and expectorant drugs. To reduce inflammatory reactions in influenza, doctors often prescribe NSAIDs based on paracetamol and ibuprofen. Fever-reducing drugs can only be taken if the temperature exceeds 38°C, otherwise you will prevent the body from fighting viruses.


Treatment with folk remedies In childhood, we treated colds with compresses, mustards and hot milk with honey. Many older people are convinced that this is the most appropriate help for flu. They can be understood: it affects the long-term experience of using folk remedies. But nowadays, more effective, comfortable and safe ways to treat influenza are available.

For example, according to the modern approach, there is absolutely nothing to torture a patient with alcoholic compresses and banks: there is no scientific data about their use, but the harm is quite possible. Mustards and hot foot baths are not allowed at high temperatures, otherwise they are safe distractions. In some respects, medicine agrees with the experience of the ancestors.

For example, in the case of influenza, it is advisable to drink more liquid to remove intoxication more quickly, so tea with raspberry will not hurt. Thus, each of the usual methods needs to be critically evaluated. We do not call for a complete abandonment of traditional medicine, but it makes sense to review the "grandfather's" remedies in line with the new views on treatment. And do not forget that the main role in the fight against influenza belongs to antiviral therapy.

Treatment of acute respiratory viral infections is easier than the flu and less often complicated. But this does not mean that a common cold can not be treated. Non-observance of medical recommendations is fraught with the transition of the disease into a prolonged form and the addition of bacterial infection. Not to mention the fact that a person with a cough and runny nose, while remaining in the team, puts the health of others at risk. Like influenza, acute respiratory viral infections require a comprehensive approach. It is not enough to alleviate the symptoms, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the disease and support the body, which spends its energy to fight the infection. And drug therapy continues to play a major role here.

There are many symptomatic ARVI Exciters and it is not always possible to know exactly what virus caused the disease. Therefore, doctors recommend the use of direct-acting antiviral drugs with a wide range of activities, such as Arbidol. They affect different viruses, and even if it turns out that you have the flu, the drug will help to reduce the symptoms of the disease and prevent complications. Symptomatic therapy for acute respiratory viral infections is also relevant. It is used as needed. To ease the condition of doctors prescribe vasoconstrictor drops in the nose, anti-inflammatory drugs for the throat, cough medicines with different effects, antipyretic (at temperatures above 38 ° C).

To maintain immunity, use vitamins, mild plant-based immunostimulants, such as Echinacea. Treatment with folk remedies In acute respiratory infections, folk medicine is still popular - and this is justified if you are sure that there is no harm from such treatment. Use what is guaranteed to help: abundant warm drink (tea with raspberry, honey, herbal infusions); rinses; inhalations with herbs (sage, chamomile, thyme, calendula), but only if there is no heat.

Such means though do not suppress viruses, but help to facilitate a condition that gives the chance to refuse superfluous medicines. Disease prevention Specific prevention of infectious diseases, including influenza, is vaccination. In the season of epidemics vaccination is widely practiced in various groups, and at some enterprises they are mandatory. Shortly after vaccination, short-term immunity develops.

This means that within a few months a person will either not get infected at all or will suffer from the disease in mild form. In general, flu vaccination is a controversial issue that deserves a separate discussion. But with non-specific prevention, everything is clear. Lead a healthy lifestyle, eat well, play sports, watch the regime - and then you will be much less likely to have acute respiratory illnesses and flu.

And if the infection does get into the body, a strong immunity will quickly cope with viruses and will not cause complications. Completely protect yourself from acute viral infections and influenza is unlikely to be real: all are susceptible to viral respiratory infections. The task of medicine is to alleviate colds, reduce their duration and prevent complications. From this point of view, the main remedy for influenza and acute respiratory viral infections is antiviral therapy.

Antiviral drugs for acute respiratory viral infections and influenza: We have to choose wisely whether you have encountered acute respiratory viral infections or influenza, and it is difficult even for the doctor to identify them at an early stage: the symptoms of these diseases are similar, and in most cases it makes no sense to identify the pathogen by laboratory methods. Therefore, it is most justified to use antiviral drugs with a wide range of effects. They are equally directed against a range of viruses.

One of the most famous drugs in this group is Arbidol. Umifenovir ("Arbidol") was developed by domestic scientists in 1974, and went on sale in 1988. The action of Arbidol is aimed at influenza A and B viruses, including highly pathogenic subtypes A H1N1 and AH5N1. In addition, umifenovir is also active against other ARVI pathogens. The drug acts directly on the virus, preventing its penetration into cells and inhibiting its reproduction. At the same time, it does not affect the immune system, which allows it to be used in children from two years of age (in the form of a suspension) and in weakened patients.

When taking "Arbidol" reduces the duration of the flow of acute viral infections and influenza, reduces the severity of symptoms, less often develop complications. The international medical community is interested in the development of Russian scientists. WHO experts, having studied the mechanism of action of umifenovir, included it in the classifier of drugs as a direct antiviral drug.