House Call - health information - Brief Article

Ebony, Sept, 1999

Expert Advice on Health and Fitness

`Can The drug that's designed to be inhaled actually prevent the flu?'

NEW DRUG TO PREVENT FLU

Now that we're coming to the end of summer, I'm beginning to get a bit depressed because I know winter is approaching, and with it comes the flu season. I hate the sneezing, the coughing, the fever and the overall discomfort that come with the flu. But I'm excited about recent news of a drug that could eliminate flu shots. Can the drug that's designed to be inhaled actually prevent the flu? L.M., New York City

If your hope is to avoid getting a flu shot, you might be in luck if, as is expected, the antiviral drug zanamivir is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before the end of the year. Studies indicate that daily inhalation of the drug might prevent the flu and can be used by people who can't or won't take the flu vaccine.

In a 1997 study that involved more than 1,100 people, zanamivir (which will be marketed under the name Relenza) reduced the risk of flu by 67 percent. Research found that inhaling the medication works against both the Type A and B strains influenza by preventing the enzyme that allows both Type A and B viruses to replicate.

Earlier studies revealed that Relenza was effective in reducing the severity and duration of flu symptoms--fever, coughs, chills, body aches--when given to people who were already exposed to the virus.

Until Relenza or other drugs (like FluMist, another nasal-spray vaccine awaiting FDA approval) are on the market, vaccination against influenza every year is the best way to avoid contracting the sometimes debilitating condition.

VARICOSE VEINS

I am a 37-year-old mother of two, and I have just discovered that I'm developing varicose veins. Although I experience no pain, these marks are so unsightly and upsetting. What are the causes of varicose veins and how do I get rid of them? P.R., Chicago

For some people, the sight of varicose veins is more upsetting than the physical discomfort associated with them, usually pain and fatigue in the legs. Simply put, varicose veins are enlarged superficial veins in the legs. Doctors say the exact cause isn't known, but they believe the condition probably is due to a weakness in the superficial veins. The weakness, which likely is inherited, causes the veins to lose their elasticity, stretch and become longer and wider. To fit their normal space, the elongated veins cause a bulge in the skin over them. Because the veins have widened, they rapidly fill with blood when the person stands and the veins enlarge even more. The enlargement also affects some of the connecting veins. But doctors say only a small percentage of people with varicose veins have complications, such as dermatitis, phlebitis and bleeding.

Because there is no cure for varicose veins, treatment mainly relieves symptoms, improves appearance and prevents complications. Although elevating the legs (by lying down or using a footstool when sitting) relieves the symptoms, it doesn't prevent varicose veins. Wearing support hose can compress the veins to alleviate pain and prevent them from stretching. Surgery is an option to remove the veins, but it doesn't cure the tendency to develop new varicose veins. An alternative to surgery is injection therapy, a procedure in which the veins are sealed so that no blood can flow through them.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STROKES AND TIAs

A friend of my mother's, who's 58, recently was rushed to the hospital with symptoms similar to those of a stroke, but doctors said she had something called a "TIA." What is a TIA? C.D., Charlotte, N.C.

Doctors say a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a disturbance in brain function that results from a temporary deficiency in the brain's blood supply. While the symptoms are similar to those of a stroke (including weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, double vision, slurred speech, dizziness), TIAs are temporary and reversible. About one-third of the time, though, a TIA is followed by a stroke, so it's important to seek medical attention if you experience symptoms.