Flu in Adults
- Flu in Adults Overview
- Flu in Adults Causes
- Flu in Adults Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
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Flu in Adults Overview
Many people commonly and incorrectly confuse influenza (the flu) with the common cold. Differentiating a cold from the flu by symptoms alone can sometimes be difficult or impossible, but in general, people with the flu get sick more suddenly, look much sicker, and feel much weaker than if the ailment were a common cold. Higher fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more often symptoms of the flu, whereas runny or stuffy nose are more often associated with common colds.
- The common cold is a mild infection frequently caused by viruses other than the influenza virus.
- Flu is an acute infection of the airway tract in the nose and throat that can sometimes spread down into the lungs. It is the most frequent cause of acute respiratory illness and can affect people of all ages. It occurs every year mainly in late fall and early winter and in a widespread fashion, affecting many people of different ages at the same time. The peak season for the flu in the northern hemisphere is from November through March.
- Some also confuse the flu illness with the term stomach flu. The latter is an illness associated with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea and can be caused by viruses other than the influenza viruses and by bacteria. It is a stomach illness, whereas the flu is an illness of the respiratory system.
- About 10%-20% of people in the United States get the flu every year, and more than 200,000 are admitted to a hospital for complications related to the flu. Each year, roughly 20,000 Americans die from these complications. Most of these deaths occur in those older than 65 years of age.
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Important Safety Information
Vimpat (lacosamide) is a medicine that is used with other medicines to treat partial onset seizures in patients 17 years of age and older with epilepsy. Vimpat is generally well-tolerated, but may not be for everyone. Ask your doctor if Vimpat is right for you. Antiepileptic drugs, including Vimpat, may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have new or worsening symptoms of depression, any unusual changes in mood or behavior, or suicidal thoughts, behavior, or thoughts about self harm that you have never had before or may be worse than before. Please see additional patient information in the Medication Guide at the end of the full prescribing information. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your condition or your treatment. Please see additional Patient Safety Information
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Flu in Adults
Immunizations and Antibiotics for Overseas Travel »
General Information
Most immunizations are not required under International Health Requirements but are recommended. Anyone lacking certain region- or country-specific immunizations may be denied entry into or exit from a country. In addition, quarantine periods of 1 week or more may be enforced (for cholera, plague, yellow fever).
No vaccinations are required to enter the United States. Standard vaccinations in the United States include diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), polio, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenza type B, and pneumococcus. Additional vaccinations for travel include hepatitis A, Japanese B encephalitis, meningococcus, rabies, typhoid, and yellow fever.
All vaccination series can be started on the same day. The lead time for immunization depends on the types of vaccinations needed. Some vaccination courses can take up to 6 months (such as hepatitis B) to receive all of the required shots. In a...
Read the Immunizations and Antibiotics for Overseas Travel article »
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Influenza »
Influenza virus infection, one of the most common infectious diseases, is a highly contagious airborne disease that causes an acute febrile illness and results in variable degrees of systemic symptoms, ranging from mild fatigue to respiratory failure and death.
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