Medicines and Products for Dengue

Dengue has no antiviral cure - its "medicines" are a short, strict list of what helps and a vital list of what harms. Knowing both lists can genuinely save a life.

What is used (the whole safe list)

• Paracetamol: THE fever and pain medicine for dengue - the only over-the-counter painkiller that does not raise bleeding risk. Dosed per the doctor or label, spaced properly
• ORS and fluids: technically not a drug, but the most important treatment - oral fluids through the illness, IV fluids in hospital when warning signs appear
• Hospital care for the severe phase: IV fluids titrated carefully to the patient's state, blood and platelet transfusions in specific severe situations (not routinely - platelet transfusion is NOT given just because the count is low)
• Anti-vomiting and other symptom medicines: by the treating doctor when needed

What is BANNED (the list that matters most)

• Aspirin: increases bleeding - never in dengue
• Ibuprofen, brufen, diclofenac, combiflam and all NSAIDs: same bleeding risk with low platelets - never
• Steroids (unless a specialist decides in specific severe situations): no benefit, real harm in ordinary dengue
• Antibiotics: dengue is viral - antibiotics do nothing unless a separate bacterial infection is diagnosed
• Random "platelet-boosting" injections and cocktails: no proven role

The monitoring is part of the medicine

• NS1 antigen test (days 1-5) or dengue antibody tests for diagnosis
• Serial platelet counts and haematocrit - the report trend guides whether home care is still safe
• The rule families should know: a FALLING platelet count alone is not an emergency; a patient with warning signs IS - treat the patient, not just the number

One-line summary

Dengue's medicine list is paracetamol, fluids, monitoring and hospital IV care when warning signs appear - and its banned list is every NSAID, aspirin, steroids and antibiotic-without-cause, because in dengue the wrong pill is more dangerous than no pill.