Without timely treatment, complications and consequences of the flu can be very unpredictable, and even death.
Influenza is a severe acute viral disease of the respiratory system. To flu viruses susceptible people of any age. This disease is very contagious and periodically acquires the character of an epidemic or pandemic.
The flu can cause dangerous complications. According to who statistics, during seasonal epidemics die each year 250-500 thousand people in the world, in some years, about 1 million But even non-fatal effects of the flu to the health and life of the patient can be severe.
What is dangerous flu viruses
Flu viruses can have a toxic effect on any organ and system of the human body. Depending on this, there are the following complications and consequences of the flu:
- Pulmonary: pneumonia, empyema, lung abscess
- Cardiovascular: pericarditis, myocarditis
- From the side of ENT organs: sinusitis, rhinitis, otitis, tracheitis
- From the nervous system: meningitis, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis, neuritis, neuralgia, polyradiculoneuritis
- Muscle: myositis
- Reye’s syndrome, glomerulonephritis, toxic shock and other allergic.
A consequence of an illness may be worsening neurological and vascular diseases, which is asymptomatic.
Consider the complications and consequences of influenza in more detail.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is one of the most frequent complications of influenza. This is usually a secondary bacterial infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus or Haemophilus influenzae. Less common combination of pneumonia, caused by viruses and bacteria.
Even more rare complication of a primary viral pneumonia, it is characterized by a high mortality rate. It is caused by a virus of a high degree of pathogenicity. Most often this pneumonia is common in people with chronic heart or lung disease develops in 3-4 days. Violation of the integrity and permeability of the walls of the pulmonary vessels, due to which there is pulmonary hemorrhage, leading to death.
Cardiovascular complications
To cardiovascular complications can cause toxic shock. When an extreme degree of intoxication frequent heart contractions, critically decreases blood pressure. Especially often these complications occur in the elderly.
Rarer complications such as influenza myocarditis and pericarditis. The latter may lead to heart failure.
Complications of ENT organs
Multiplying in the respiratory tract, the flu virus disrupts the process of cleansing the respiratory tract from dust and bacteria.
The flu often there are secondary bacterial infections such as rhinitis, sinusitis, sinusitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, otitis media. In turn, arose as a complication of sinusitis or otitis media can cause inflammatory diseases of the brain.
Complications from the nervous system
The flu aggravates neurological disease, previously occurring asymptomatic. Therefore, his background may develop first hypertonic or hypotonic crisis, for the first time to declare itself sciatica or neuro-psychiatric disorders.
Because the flu virus is able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, it can affect blood vessels of the brain and meninges. This especially affects people who previously had a concussion or traumatic brain injury, as well as those who abuse alcohol. As a result, may develop meningitis, encephalitis, arachnoiditis.
Muscle myositis and impaired renal function
One of the symptoms of flu is aching muscles. This condition may continue for some time after recovery, and is a manifestation of myositis inflammation of skeletal muscles. Myositis and other muscular diseases are muscular complications of influenza, and are more common in children. In the urine increases the concentration of globular protein myoglobin, which may lead to acute impairment of renal function.
Reye’s Syndrome
This rare complication usually occurs in children (often after influenza type b) as a result of incorrect treatment with drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid. Reye’s syndrome is an acute encephalopathy with cerebral edema and fatty infiltration of the liver. To avoid this complication, to reduce high temperature in children, using drugs on the basis of paracetamol.
How to avoid complications of the flu
To flu ended without complications and consequences, never self-medicate this disease. In addition, do not carry the flu on the legs it is important to comply with bed rest. It is not necessary to bring down the temperature below 39 degrees, if you normally carry. Ask your doctor to recommend you a good antipyretic (Theraflu, Coldrex, Flyukold) antiviral and immunomodulatory agents (Arbidol or analogues, kagocel): this will improve resistance to infections.
Another important condition during the illness drink plenty of fluids to speed up the removal of toxins and breakdown products of the virus and cell defence of the immune system.