Pharmacotherapy Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 29, 07/27/2010

Question

What over-the-counter and prescription medications should be avoided in patients with a viral illness for the purposes of decreasing the risk of Reye's syndrome?

Answer

For a concise review of Reye's syndrome, how aspirin or salicylates can cause this complication please refer to the newsletter publication volume 2 issue 25.  The National Reye's Syndrome Foundation, the U.S. Surgeon General, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that aspirin and/or aspirin containing products not be given to anyone under the age of 19 years during a fever-causing illness.(1-3)  To complicate things for the public and possibly some healthcare professionals, aspirin is also known as acetylsalicylate, acetylsalicylic acid, or salicylate.  Furthermore, the increasing utilization of herbal or natural supplements worldwide may contribute to the problem as patients may knowingly or unknowingly be consuming aspirin through use of some of these products.  As such, healthcare professionals should know which common prescription and over-the-counter medications contain... 

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