Table of contents:
- What is antiviral
- How antivirals work
- Types of viral drugs
- 1. Medicine for skin herpes
- 2. Medication for influenza
- 3. Medicines for HPV
- 4. Medication for hepatitis
- 5. Medicine for HIV / AIDS
- Antiviral side effects
There are still many people who think that antibiotics can be used to treat diseases caused by viruses. In fact, antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections. So, to ward off viral infections, antiviral drugs (antiviral) are needed. The way it works is certainly different from antibiotics. However, you cannot buy antiviral drugs over the counter. The use of viral drugs must be under the supervision of a doctor.
What is antiviral
Antiviral or antiviral is a drug that is specifically used to treat diseases caused by viral infections. Medicines for this virus are available in the form of pills, tablets, syrups, and intravenous fluids (infusion).
Initially, antiviral drugs were used to treat diseases such as influenza (flu) or herpes simplex. Antiviral treatment has been increasingly being developed since antiretroviral drugs have been shown to be effective against infection human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Now, antivirals are used to treat various viral infectious diseases. However, antivirals can only be obtained from a doctor's prescription. The reason is, not all patients need antiviral treatment.
In addition, viral drug treatment cannot be done arbitrarily. To be effective against viral infections, antivirals must be given at the right time.
How antivirals work
Viruses are microorganisms that need a host to survive. When attacking the body, the virus will enter healthy cells and take over its function to replicate.
Viruses can hitch a ride inside cells or directly damage cells and then multiply. During this process, the virus will continue to destroy and infect healthy cells in the body.
Therefore, drugs for viruses must be able to enter the cells and affect the virus without damaging the cells. In general, antivirals do not work directly to kill viruses, but rather inhibit the development of viruses in cells.
Medicines for flu viruses, for example, enzymes in antivirals will disrupt the cycle of viral infections by preventing viruses that have damaged one cell from moving to destroy other cells.
By limiting the reproduction of viruses, the number of viruses in the body will decrease. Therefore, the body's immune system will find it easier to stop viral infections.
The way these antiviral drugs work will later shorten the appearance of symptoms while preventing them from getting worse and causing complications.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antiviral drugs work better if they are taken as soon as possible at the onset of symptoms. That's why doctors often give antivirals in the early stages of treatment.
For people who are at risk of developing complications from the flu, taking antiviral drugs can prevent severe symptoms, ear infections, and conditions that cause the patient to be hospitalized.
Types of viral drugs
Not all antiviral drugs are the same. This depends on the type of illness you have, for example, a drug for flu will certainly be different from a drug intended for hepatitis or herpes patients.
Each antiviral drug also has different instructions for consumption depending on the age, type, and purpose of taking the drug. Apart from treating a disease, antiviral drugs can also be used to prevent the development of certain infectious diseases.
Based on the type of disease, the following are the types of antiviral drugs that are commonly used to treat viral infections.
1. Medicine for skin herpes
There are three types of herpes viruses that can cause skin infections, namely varicella zoster which causes chickenpox and herpes zoster, herpes simplex type I which causes oral herpes, and herpes simplex type II which causes genital herpes.
Acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir are antiviral drugs that can block infection with the herpes skin virus. These three antivirals work by binding to the herpes virus DNA polymerase, which is an enzyme that triggers viral replication, so the herpes virus is unable to reproduce.
In addition, there are also antiviral drugs for herpes cytomegalovirus infection that have a similar mechanism of action, such as valganciclovir, ganciclovir, foscarnet, and cidofovir.
2. Medication for influenza
Influenza or flu is a viral infectious disease that attacks the respiratory system. This disease is one of the most common viral infections.
Viral flu drugs block parts of viral DNA such as neuraminidase so they can relieve symptoms more quickly and avoid complications in at-risk patients.
There are several types of antivirals that are used to treat flu, such as:
- Oseltamivir
- Zanamivir
- Amantadine
- Rimantadine
- Oseltamivir
- Zanamivir
3. Medicines for HPV
HPV infection or human papillomavirus is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause skin surface disorders, genitalia, and cervical cancer.
This viral infectious disease can be treated using antiviral drugs such as ribavirin which can also treat viral infections in the respiratory tract. Antivirus in the form of topical drugs such as imiquimod can also be used to treat HPV infection.
4. Medication for hepatitis
Hepatitis is a viral infection that attacks the liver and is caused by the hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses. Antiviral drugs can inhibit the production of the hepatic virus B and hepatitis C is interferon, its types include:
- Nucleoside or nucleotide analogues
- Protase inhibitors
- Polymerase inhibitors
5. Medicine for HIV / AIDS
HIV infection attacks the immune system and causes a decrease in the levels of white blood cells in the blood. This condition causes sufferers to be very susceptible to infectious diseases.
Fortunately, HIV / AIDS patients can live a normal life by taking viral drugs such as antiretrovirals (ARVs). This drug can effectively control the amount of HIV virus by affecting the replication cycle of the virus.
In fact, there are many drugs used to treat viral infectious diseases. The list of drugs above is a small part of the types of antiviral available.
Antiviral side effects
If you catch the flu while pregnant, you may hesitate to take certain medications. In fact, it's okay to take antiviral drugs while pregnant, because they can relieve symptoms.
Launching from the Mayo Clinic page, women who are pregnant are at greater risk of experiencing complications from flu than other women who are not pregnant. That's why taking antiviral medication can not only restore your body's condition, but also help prevent complications from more serious colds.
With a note, you still consult with your doctor first regarding your health condition. The doctor will later prescribe safe antiviral drugs to treat flu while pregnant.
