Self Care Guide for Influenza Written by Clinicians of University Health Services at University Park Any questions please feel free to contact PSH Student Health Services: 717-948-6015 Following these basic guidelines can help ease your discomfort and speed your recovery. DO NOT TAKE ASPIRIN.
· Increase your fluid intake. Drinking more fluids will help you stay hydrated and better control your temperature. Fluids such as water, sports drinks and clear broth soups are generally well tolerated. · Get plenty of rest. Stay in bed and rest as much as possible. · Wash your hands frequently. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers after coughing, sneezing and wiping your nose to reduce the spread of the virus. · Isolate yourself in your room or home until at least 24 hours after fever has cleared without the use of fever-reducing medications. This means that your temperature should be below 100 degrees for at least this time period. For fever, chills and body aches use an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, like ibuprofen (generic Motrin or Advil) or naproxen (generic Aleve). The major side effect of NSAIDs is irritation of the stomach, occasionally leading to gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding. Stop the medication if you have stomach upset or pain. Consider taking acetaminophen (Tylenol), instead, for fever and pain if you have stomach upset. For stuffy nose and congestion use a decongestant. The only effective oral decongestant currently available is pseudoephedrine. You must ask the pharmacist for this medication (regulated because of illegal use to make methamphetamine), although no prescription is required. Decongestants purchased off the shelf contain phenylephrine and are much less effective. Oral decongestants may produce rapid heart rate, blood pressure elevation, nervous stimulation, and restlessness which may interfere with sleep. An alternative to the oral medication is a decongestant nose spray oxymetazoline hydrochloride(generic Afrin). This can rapidly relieve nasal obstruction. When the decongestant effect of the drug wears off, nasal obstruction rapidly returns. Therefore, this can be very effective, but limit use to 3 days (if used twice daily) or 5-6 nights (if only used at bedtime). Overuse by just a few days can result in “rebound” obstruction and mucosal damage. For runny nose, sneezing and cough try an antihistamine. The most effective antihistamines are first generation, although they tend to cause drowsiness. Examples of first generation antihistamines are brompheniramine (generic for DimeTapp), *chlorpheniramine (generic for Chlor-Trimeton and Singlet), *diphenhydramine (generic for Benadryl), and *doxylamine
(generic for NyQuil and Alka-Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold Medicine). The newer (non-sedating) antihistamines do not appear to have the same degree of effectiveness for treating colds. Examples are *Loratadine (Claritin), Fexofenadine (Allegra – prescription required), and *Certirizine (Zyrtec). For cough you can try a cough suppressant. Cough suppressants are natural narcotics, like codeine, and synthetic narcotics, like dextromethorphan (DM). They act on the brain to depress the cough reflex center. Their effectiveness in patients with chronic cough has been demonstrated in controlled studies but there is little published information on their effectiveness in coughs associated with colds. Cough suppressants can produce gastrointestinal discomfort but otherwise have few side effects. In normal healthy people with good cough reflexes, cough suppressants are safe. Drug interactions may occur with DM and certain antidepressants. If you are on an antidepressant, discuss this with your provider. For sore throat or nasal congestion consider using a saline rinse. Various nasal saline rinse kits are available commercially or you can make your own saline by mixing ½ teaspoon of salt and 8 ounces of warm water in a clean container: For the nose: Place the above mixture in a reusable sinus rinse bottle or draw up into a nasal bulb syringe. The most convenient way to perform a sinus rinse is in the shower or over a sink. For the throat: Swish and spit Keeping a throat lozenge, cough drop, or hard candy in your mouth will stimulate your saliva and help soothe your throat. 9/17/09
PHARMACEUTICAL COUNCIL OF WESTERN AUSTRALIAPre-Registration Training Plan for the First Segment - Months 1 to 3Objective: To ensure the competencies are achieved by each Graduate Trainee Pharmacist with consistent experience gained by all. Orientation and discussion of time allocation and prioritisation of tasks with preceptorFamiliarise with cash register policies and credit facilities availa
Smith / NATIONS, CULTURES, AND INDIVIDUALS NATIONS, CULTURES, AND INDIVIDUALS New Perspectives and Old Dilemmas As an introduction to the five articles in this section that present data analyses focused at the nation level,three dilemmas pertinent to nation-level studies are discussed. First, reasons are explored as to why it is valu-able for psychologists to give attention to the national