pfizer

Khaleej Times

12/7/2023

Pfizer

Transcript

00:00 Dr. Yonal Salam.

00:01 - We do have, unfortunately, worldwide,

00:04 a number of deaths due to these conditions.

00:07 - Do they know that it can cause

00:09 a long-term problem to your health?

00:11 - Anything that affects your immune system

00:14 can make you more predisposed to complications.

00:17 - Oh my God.

00:18 Welcome to No Plan, Go! Podcast.

00:20 Khaleesh Times, in association with Pfizer,

00:23 will talk in important tips on how you can protect yourself

00:26 from respiratory illnesses.

00:28 (upbeat music)

00:30 Dr. Yonal Salam, you're the head of internal medicine

00:33 at Emirates Jumeirah Hospital.

00:35 Can you tell me briefly about what is internal medicine?

00:38 - So a lot of people have a bit of a misconception

00:41 about internal medicine.

00:42 What it really is, is another name for it,

00:44 is general medicine.

00:45 So we are specialists in the general health

00:47 of the adult population.

00:49 So we see patients starting 16 and above.

00:53 We treat them for pretty much everything.

00:56 If something is very complicated

00:59 and it needs specialist care,

01:01 we do refer them to a specialist,

01:03 such a cardiologist or a pulmonologist,

01:06 which means a lung doctor or a heart doctor,

01:08 or whatever the patient needs.

01:11 - Today, we're gonna talk about viral infections

01:13 and respiratory illnesses.

01:15 As winter season is coming,

01:17 how can this illness affect families and communities?

01:22 And what are those type of viral infections?

01:25 - So this is the hot topic,

01:27 or let's say cold topic now with the cold.

01:29 So these viruses are mainly such as influenza,

01:34 adenovirus, there are multiple viruses.

01:37 We see them a lot now with the change of weather

01:40 and getting into cooler times,

01:43 for, 'cause of many factors.

01:44 First factor is that the weather becomes drier

01:47 and viruses strive on cold and dry weather.

01:51 In other countries, maybe in the UAE,

01:53 we like to go out more in the cold,

01:55 but in other countries, they stay at home.

01:58 So it becomes more crowded environment.

02:01 If they turn on the heater,

02:02 again, that creates a dry environment in the house.

02:05 - That's very true.

02:06 - So they are more prone to infections.

02:08 The temperature itself has nothing to do

02:10 with you having a higher chance of infection.

02:13 But as we said, the viruses strive in this higher weather.

02:18 It might be distressing for a lot of people.

02:20 Maybe we're discussing a moment ago

02:22 that every one of us has a bad experience

02:24 with these viruses.

02:27 Even what we call as medical professionals, mild illness,

02:31 can be very distressing for the patient

02:33 'cause they have high fever, a cough.

02:37 They feel really bad during this time.

02:38 - Do you think people,

02:39 do they actually know what do they have?

02:42 Do they know that it's influenza A, influenza B,

02:44 or any other thing,

02:45 and they just take whatever they have at home

02:48 as a medicine to get better?

02:50 - So generally people treat themselves at home.

02:53 There are a lot of home remedies, ginger.

02:56 They take Panadol, things like that.

02:59 I think when now people are having more of a culture

03:02 of seeing a doctor, even if they're having mild symptoms,

03:07 it's good practice for one reason,

03:10 if you're having symptoms that are distressing you,

03:13 is to know what type of virus you have.

03:16 For example, if you have influenza,

03:17 then we have a treatment for influenza called Tamiflu.

03:21 - So the other antibiotics don't work with--

03:24 - Yes, so if we talk about antibiotics,

03:26 we talk about bacteria.

03:28 So sometimes when you have a viral illness,

03:30 you can have a superimposed bacterial infection,

03:33 and then the doctor will prescribe you antibiotics.

03:36 But for things such as influenza, you have an antiviral,

03:41 such as Tamiflu.

03:42 What Tamiflu does, it cuts the duration of illness.

03:45 So you feel better faster, technically.

03:48 - All right, so I wanna ask you,

03:49 what are pre-existing and old medical conditions

03:54 that someone has will make it more risk for them

03:57 to get respiratory illnesses?

04:00 - So anything that affects your immune system

04:03 can make you more predisposed to complications

04:06 of these viruses, such as diabetes.

04:09 We have a lot of diabetics in our population.

04:12 If you have hypertension, any rheumatoid conditions,

04:17 if you're taking any medication,

04:19 such as corticosteroids, that might suppress your immunity,

04:22 and very importantly, cardiac and heart conditions.

04:25 - I was gonna ask you about this as well,

04:28 about if this can affect you on the long term,

04:32 especially if, can it cause a cardiovascular problem

04:36 or something like that?

04:37 - So on the long term, for influenza specifically,

04:42 an adenovirus, it shouldn't cause any problems.

04:45 We do have some cases about what we call myocarditis,

04:49 which is inflammation of the wall of the heart,

04:53 let's say, in the muscle of the heart.

04:55 Sometimes when you have the acute illness,

04:57 it can raise the chance of you getting a cardiac condition,

05:01 a heart attack, and the problem is,

05:03 if it falls to your lungs

05:05 and it becomes a bacterial infection,

05:07 then you got all sorts of complications

05:09 that can affect the heart, such as atrial fibrillation,

05:13 which is a type of abnormal electricity in your heart.

05:17 - Oh my God.

05:19 So I mean, not a lot of people know that.

05:22 Do they know that it can cause

05:24 a long-term problem to your health?

05:27 - Yes, so people deal with flu, we call it the flu.

05:31 - Yeah. - All right?

05:32 So the flu for us is just a day-to-day thing that you get.

05:35 But sometimes for these critical patients

05:38 that are immunocompromised and have immune problems,

05:41 it can be a big deal.

05:43 And we do have, unfortunately, worldwide,

05:46 a number of deaths due to these conditions.

05:49 - So how do I know, like, what are the symptoms?

05:51 How do I know that I'm facing a respiratory illness,

05:54 or is it something else that has nothing to do with it?

05:57 - So once you feel the cough is getting worse,

06:01 you're having a cough, it's getting worse,

06:02 you're beginning to have chest pain, shortness of breath.

06:06 If you have a spirometer which measures

06:08 the oxygenation in your blood,

06:10 if it's falling under 95%,

06:13 then you should visit a hospital, do an x-ray,

06:16 and check that you have not developed pneumonia

06:19 or a respiratory illness.

06:20 - So after having the disease, after having the illness,

06:25 if you take the vaccine, would that help?

06:28 Or you should take it before you get it?

06:30 - No, you should take it before,

06:31 'cause it's a preventive measure.

06:33 - But if you take it after, it will do nothing?

06:35 - No, what's done is done.

06:37 - Okay, so people should take the vaccine before, today?

06:42 - Yes, absolutely.

06:43 So usually influenza vaccines are distributed

06:47 around between August and October of every year.

06:51 So right before what we call the flu season.

06:53 - So let's say I have the symptoms today,

06:56 what measures should I take?

06:57 Should I go see a doctor, go to the hospital?

06:59 What should I do?

07:00 - You should go to a doctor.

07:01 If they feel that you have lower respiratory tract symptoms,

07:04 you should do an x-ray.

07:05 But even if you don't have that,

07:06 they do a swab to check if you have influenza A or B,

07:10 and then they can give you Tamiflu medication.

07:12 - What about age range?

07:14 Is there an age range?

07:15 Like kids, do they get it?

07:17 Older people, more?

07:18 - So there's something we call the extremities of age.

07:22 So children under the age of five,

07:24 or adults over the age of 65, are almost always more prone.

07:29 'Cause with age, your immune system

07:32 kind of gets weaker with time.

07:34 And that's why, even if you don't have any comorbidities

07:37 or other medical problems,

07:39 being over the age of 65 itself is a risk factor for you.

07:44 - And one final question.

07:46 Like you said, every year,

07:48 there's a different kind of an influenza.

07:51 It's mutated.

07:52 Are we facing a tougher influenza every year?

07:56 Is it changing to be worse?

07:58 Or we're facing the same thing, but in a different way?

08:02 - So thankfully, I don't think it's getting worse or better.

08:04 It's been the same throughout the years.

08:07 You do get some epidemics or pandemics here and there,

08:11 but usually it's the same.

08:13 Strains differ a bit in terms of evading your immune system.

08:17 That's why you don't develop immunity for good.

08:21 - You see, the reason I'm asking

08:22 is because I actually got the influenza.

08:24 I don't know if it was A or B.

08:26 I wish I've heard this podcast or watched it before

08:29 so I can take the vaccine.

08:31 But that's what I'm gonna do after this podcast.

08:33 Thank you so much, Dr. Rianal.

08:35 It was a pleasure meeting you today at "Khalish Times."

08:37 - Thank you, it's my pleasure, thank you.

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