| Pharmacy Drug Brand Name: | Relenzaź |
| Active Ingredient(s): | zanamivir for inhalation |
| Delivery / Dosage Form(s): | Relenza Rotadisk with Diskhaler Inhalation Device |
| Company Manufacturer Name: | Glaxo Wellcome Inc. |
| Availability / Prescription: | Prescription only |
| FDA Approval Date *: | July 26, 1999 |
* Approval by the FDA does not necessarily mean that this drug is available for consumers at this time.
What is Relenza used for?
Relenza is used to treat uncomplicated illness due to influenza virus in people 7 years and older who have been symptomatic for no more than 2 days.
Special Warnings with Relenza:
- Some patients have had bronchospasm (wheezing) or serious breathing problems when they used Relenza. Many but not all of these patients had previous asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or damage. Relenza has not been shown to shorten the duration of influenza in people with these disease or damages. Because of the risk of side effects and because it has not been shown to help them, Relenza is not generally recommended for people with chronic respiratory disease or damage such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or damage.
- If you have lung disease or damage you should have a fast-acting inhaled bronchodilator available while being treated with Relenza. If your breathing worsens, stop using Relenza and call your health care (healthcare) provider.
General Precautions with Relenza:
- Relenza is not used to prevent the flu or to decrease the risk of transmitting the virus to others.
- Relenza has not been shown to treat flu-like illnesses caused by any virus other than influenza A and B (e.g., stomach flu, common cold, or other respiratory illnesses not caused by influenza).
- Stop taking Relenza and contact your health care (healthcare) provider if you experience signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction such as shortness of breath, swelling of eyelids, face, or lips or a skin rash.
- Other kinds of infections can appear like influenza or occur along with influenza, and need different types of treatment. Contact your health care (healthcare) provider if you feel worse or develop new symptoms during or after treatment, or if your influenza symptoms do not start to get better.
- Taking Relenza should not affect your decision to have an annual influenza vaccination.
- The safety and efficacy of repeated courses of treatment have not been established.
- If you use a bronchodilator and are scheduled to use it at the same time as Relenza, use your bronchodilator first before using Relenza.
What should I tell my doctor or health care (healthcare) provider?
Tell your health care (healthcare) provider if you:
- are taking any other medications
- have chronic lung disease or damage such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or damage.
- are trying to become pregnant, are already pregnant, or are breast-feeding.
What are some possible side effects of Relenza? (This is not a comprehensive list of possible side effects reported with Relenza. Your doctor or pharmacist can provide expert advice on the possible side effects of this drug.)
See the "Warnings" and "Precautions" sections for information about the risk of bronchospasm and allergic-like reactions.
Other side effects may include:
- headache
- diarrhea
- nausea
- vomiting
- nasal irritation
- bronchitis
- cough
- sinus inflammation
- ear, nose and throat infections
- dizziness