| Reports show that, in 2005, over 14,000
cases of active tuberculosis and 10-15 million cases of latent
tuberculosis were reported in the US. Though rates have declined,
the annual decrease has slowed, with more and more drug-resistant
strains emerging. The key to ensuring health in the treatment
of tuberculosis is adhering to medication regimens. For children,
adherence can be vastly improved with the addition of a medicinal
flavoring, such as FLAVORx, that improves palatability, and
thus compliance.
Bethesda, MD (PRWEB) September 27, 2006
- Following the development of effective antibiotic treatment,
cases of tuberculosis (TB) dropped rapidly in the 1940s and
1950s. This led many to view TB as a disease of the past,
but unfortunately while overall rates continue to decline
in the United States, health care officials have become alarmed
at the recent increase in drug-resistant TB strains. What
is most alarming, however, is that often drug-resistant strains
arise as a result of something as simple as patients failing
to finish their drug regimens. Patients commonly believe that
once they feel better after a few weeks, they can discontinue
their treatment. Unfortunately, because TB bacteria die very
slowly, it takes at least 6 months for the medicine to fully
eradicate the bacteria from the body, meaning that a patient
may still spread the disease even though he/she may feel just
fine. To improve drug therapy and adherence to drug regimens,
FLAVORx has developed a flavoring formulary for the most commonly
used TB medications.
It is imperative that patients with TB take medications as
their doctor or nurse indicates. When patients fail to take
medications properly, the TB bacteria are given the opportunity
to grow again and symptoms will continue to persist. The bacteria
may also become resistant to low-levels of medication, and
thus new, different, and more potent medications will be needed
to kill the new strain. Undoubtedly the most dangerous repercussion
of this non-adherence is the threat that patients can then
spread drug-resistant TB strains to family, friends and co-workers.
But what methods can be used to ensure adherence in children?
Health care officials and groups such as the CDC and the
American Lung Association recommend that children participate
in Direct Observed Therapy (DOT), a method that ensures adherence.
This practice allows the nurse or health worker to administer
the medication and observe the patient taking it. Studies
show that nearly 95% of children who participate in DOT complete
their full treatment regimen. However, beyond monitoring children,
tolerance must also be taken into account. Improving the taste
and smell of medication suspensions, will guarantee that children
can readily accept medications and be more willing to adhere
to their treatment. Drugs such as isonaizid and rifampin (ethambutol
is not recommended for children under 5 years old because
it may impair vision) can be easily converted to suspension
from pills and capsules and flavored with FLAVORx in choices
such as Grape, Watermelon and Lemon. Studies show that in
children, compliance improves from 53% to over 90% with the
addition of flavoring.
Children are considered to be a 'high-risk group' for TB
infection. Because TB infection is typically transmitted from
adult to child, children living with other high-risk individuals
(such as those with compromised immunity or current/previous
TB infection) are particularly prone to contracting the disease.
Cases of TB infection are of particular concern to health
care officials because children commonly do not have the necessary
immunity to fight off the infection, and also because active
infections indicate that transmission of TB occurred recently
since an adult close to them must have transmitted the disease.
According to the World Health Organization, over 250,000
children develop TB and 100,000 children die from TB each
year. In children under 4 years of age, TB is much more likely
to spread throughout the bloodstream, putting them at increased
risk for developing tuberculosis meningitis, a disease that
can be detrimental to the central nervous system. Because
of these of these staggering statistics and concerns, officials
advise that children at risk for TB be promptly diagnosed
and receive immediate, comprehensive treatment.
Even celebrities are showing their kindness and helping the
cause. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have handed out over a
million dollars in charity donations, and taking concrete
action to address the fact that there could be thousands of
children orphaned or will die from tuberculosis.
In the last decade, an "extensively drug-resistant"
TB was found to kill more than 50 people in South Africa and
74 cases have been reported in the US since 1993; virtually
untouchable by first and second-line TB drugs. In addition,
"multi-drug resistant" strains have also spiked
in the last few years with the number of cases jumping nearly
50% from 2002 to 2004, and up nearly 13% in the US. TB is
an airborne illness that is easily spread when an infected
person coughs, shouts, sings, laughs or sneezes.
FLAVORx is available in over 35,000 pharmacies nationwide
including Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid and Wal-Mart. To date,
over 40 million prescriptions have been flavored without any
incidence of allergy, adverse reaction or changes in efficacy.
For more information, please contact Teresa Chen
at 800.884.5771, extension 234.
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