:: Health Conditions - Amantadine
and Rimantadine
Rimantadine HCl is an antiviral drug used for the treatment
of Flu (Influenza) virus A. The drug is very similar to the
drug Amantadine.
Amantadine and Rimantadine have both been shown to reduce
the duration of influenza A symptoms when given within 48
hours of the onset of symptoms and may be given to high-risk
patients. Treatment and prophylaxis failures may be due to
the rapid emergence of drug-resistant viruses. Oseltamivir
(Tamiflu®) and zanamivir, which inhibit viral neuraminidase,
are active against both influenza A and B viruses. Response
to ribavirin has generally been disappointing.
Amantadine and Rimantadine are also effective at preventing
influenza A but are not a substitute for vaccination unless
the vaccine is contra-indicated. Prophylaxis with amantadine
or rimantadine should be considered in addition to vaccination
in individuals such as the immunocompromised whose antibody
response to the vaccine is likely to be incomplete, in persons
vaccinated after an influenza outbreak has begun, and in residents
and carers in institutions to prevent or abort outbreaks of
influenza. To be fully effective chemoprophylaxis must be
started as early as possible and be taken each day for the
duration of influenza activity or until an adequate antibody
response to vaccination has occurred. Neuraminidase inhibitors
may also be useful for prophylaxis.
The Rimantadine may be sold under several brand names. At
the moment of writing this article, we could not find any
online drugstore offering this drug. If you want to buy Rimantadine,
we suggest you to buy Amantadine
instead. But, some reports on 2006 have shown that most cases
of influenza viruses have resistance mutations for amantadine
and rimantadine. So, if you are searching for an effective
flu medication, the best solution would be to purchase
Tamiflu.

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