Oseltamivir for the treatment of H1N1 influenza during pregnancy

• Published in: Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics Vol. 98; no. 4; p. 403
• Main Authors: Beigi, R H, Pillai, V C, Venkataramanan, R, Caritis, S N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.2015
• Subjects: Animals; Antiviral Agents - adverse effects; Antiviral Agents - pharmacokinetics; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Enzyme Inhibitors - adverse effects; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacokinetics; Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - drug effects; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - enzymology; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - pathogenicity; Influenza, Human - diagnosis; Influenza, Human - drug therapy; Influenza, Human - virology; Neuraminidase - antagonists & inhibitors; Neuraminidase - metabolism; Oseltamivir - adverse effects; Oseltamivir - pharmacokinetics; Oseltamivir - therapeutic use; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - diagnosis; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - drug therapy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - virology; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1532-6535
• DOI: 10.1002/cpt.179

Pregnancy heightens the risk of adverse outcomes from influenza infections. This is true for both seasonal epidemics as well as occasional pandemics. Seasonal influenza vaccines are the focus of disease prevention and are recommended for all pregnant women in any trimester of pregnancy and postpartum. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is currently the recommended and most commonly used pharmaceutical agent for influenza prophylaxis and treatment. Oseltamivir has been demonstrated to prevent disease after exposure, treat infected individuals, as well as lessen the likelihood of complications. The physiologic adaptations of pregnancy alter the pharmacokinetics of this important drug. Evidence of these alterations, knowledge gaps, and future investigative directions to fill these knowledge gaps are highlighted.