インフルエンザ患者急増　市販の解熱鎮痛薬は要注意　抗生物質「原則NG」方針も

The influenza epidemic is spreading. The number of patients per medical institution in Fukuoka Prefecture announced on the 18th was 2.3, nearly double the number from the previous week. Amid this, were you aware of changes to medication prescriptions for certain illnesses, such as pediatric influenza and colds? We have summarized the information, including precautions to take when taking over-the-counter antipyretics and analgesics. "The epidemic is spreading earlier than usual," leading to school closures. This is a pediatric clinic in Minami Ward, Fukuoka City. Many patients with fevers visited us this morning. One patient said, "My fever was 38.7°C yesterday." Another said, "I have a fever of 39.1°C... I'm waiting for the results of my COVID-19 and flu tests. I'm showing symptoms, so I thought I'd get tested." Shinji Yanai, Director of Yanai Pediatric Clinic, said, "In August, there were only a few cases, but they've been increasing steadily since September. The influenza epidemic is starting to spread earlier than usual." Class closures have also been announced. In Fukuoka City, Nagazumi Kindergarten in Minami Ward has two classes for the middle and youngest children. In Kitakyushu City, six elementary, junior high, and high schools have six classes. In Kasuga City and Okagaki Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, elementary schools have also closed classes. Shinji Yanai, Director of Yanai Pediatric Clinic "Usually, the flu spreads by December, but this year it started as early as August. We haven't had a flu epidemic in the last few years, but this year it started very early, so it seems like it started at a time when people's resistance and immunity to influenza were weakened." Be careful when taking over-the-counter pain relievers RKB Reporter Kana Takeda "Many people take fever reducers when they have a fever, but you need to be careful when using over-the-counter medications. I'll ask at the pharmacy." Fever is a characteristic of influenza. A look at any drugstore reveals a wide variety of pain relievers and fever reducers. Yuhei Hamada, Managing Pharmacist at Shinseido Pharmacy "Among the medications prescribed by doctors, loxoprofen is generally not used very often for influenza. My impression is that many doctors choose Calonal as their prescription medication." Antipyretics and analgesics that suppress fever and pain include "non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs" (NSAIDs) that contain loxoprofen (e.g., Loxonin) and those that do not (e.g., Calonal). According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, these "non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs" may be involved in influenza encephalitis/encephalopathy, a serious complication of influenza that is common in children and can cause loss of consciousness. Therefore, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends that these drugs be used with caution when treating influenza. First, seek medical advice For this reason, Hamada recommends that anyone suspecting influenza should seek medical advice first. Yuhei Hamada, Managing Pharmacist at Shinseido Pharmacy "The most important thing is to see a doctor first. If you can't go to the hospital yourself, I think it's best to take Calonal first to temporarily reduce your fever. Then, see a doctor." Antibiotics for Influenza and Colds: No Longer Allowed As influenza season approaches, changes are occurring in medication prescribing. The Social Insurance Medical Fee Payment Fund, an external organization of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare that reviews medical fees, issued a notice to medical institutions at the end of August. It states that, in principle, insurance claims for prescriptions of antibacterial drugs or antibiotics for illnesses such as pediatric influenza and colds will no longer be accepted. Patients' out-of-pocket medical expenses will remain the same, but since medical institutions will no longer be able to claim insurance, cases such as prescribing antibiotics "just in case" will be reevaluated. Yanai Pediatric Clinic Director Shinji Yanai "Influenza is a viral disease, and most colds are also caused by viruses. Antibiotics are not actually effective against viral illnesses, so there's no need to take them. Some people have prescribed antibiotics for unnecessary illnesses, such as 'I have a fever, so I'm worried, so please prescribe an antibiotic.' However, we've decided to stop prescribing antibiotics just to be safe. It doesn't impose any special burden on patients, and reducing unnecessary medication means less money spent on medicine, so I think there are some positive aspects." Some Medical Institutions Advance Vaccination In addition to basic infection control measures like hand washing and wearing a mask, vaccination is also effective in preventing influenza. The pediatric clinic we interviewed has started vaccinating about two weeks earlier, and other medical institutions are also moving forward with this trend. Telephone consultations are also ava...