Given the recent rise in influenza resistance to individual antiviral drugs, researchers are exploring whether treating with multiple drugs in combination may provide better results than one drug alone.
NIAID researchers are developing a study that will assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of combination antivirals (amantadine/ribavirin/oseltamivir) versus oseltamivir alone for the treatment of influenza in people who are higher risk of severe flu.
Some people, however, are more likely to get flu complications that result in being hospitalized and occasionally result in death. Pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections are examples of flu-related complications. The flu can also make chronic health problems worse. For example, people with asthma may experience asthma attacks while they have the flu, and people with chronic congestive heart failure may have worsening of this condition that is triggered by the flu. Flu researchers will evaluate whether giving combination antiviral drugs to patients with the flu helps them get better faster.
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