Posts Tagged ‘dosage’

Acyclovir Prevention Dosing

Friday, June 3rd, 2011

Acyclovir belongs to the family of medicines called antivirals, which are used to treat infections caused by viruses. Usually these medicines work for only one kind or group of virus infections.

Acyclovir is used to treat the symptoms of chickenpox, shingles, herpes virus infections of the genitals (sex organs), the skin, the brain, and mucous membranes (lips and mouth), and widespread herpes virus infections in newborns. Acyclovir is also used to prevent recurrent genital herpes infections. Although acyclovir will not cure herpes, it does help relieve the pain and discomfort and helps the sores (if any) heal faster.

Acyclovir may also be used for other virus infections as determined by your doctor. However, it does not work in treating certain virus infections, such as the common cold.

Acyclovir is best used as soon as possible after the symptoms of herpes infection or shingles (for example, pain, burning, blisters) begin to appear.

If you are taking acyclovir for the treatment of chickenpox, it is best to start taking acyclovir as soon as possible after the first sign of the chickenpox rash, usually within one day.

Acyclovir capsules, tablets, and oral suspension may be taken with meals or on an empty stomach. Acyclovir is best taken with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.

If you are using acyclovir oral suspension, use a specially marked measuring spoon or other device to measure each dose accurately. The average household teaspoon may not hold the right amount of liquid.

To help clear up your herpes infection, chickenpox, or shingles, keep taking acyclovir for the full time of treatment, even if your symptoms begin to clear up after a few days. Do not miss any doses. However, do not use this medicine more often or for a longer time than your doctor ordered.

If you are taking acyclovir capsules, tablets, or oral suspension, you should drink plenty of water to avoid becoming dehydrated.

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor’s orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For oral dosage forms (capsules, oral suspension, or tablets):
For treatment of genital herpes:
* Adults and children 12 years of age and older—200 milligrams (mg) five times a day for ten days.
* Children up to 12 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.

For prevention of recurrent outbreaks of genital herpes infections:
* Adults and children 12 years of age and older—200 to 400 mg two to five times a day for five days or up to twelve months, depending on how often your outbreaks of infection occur.
* Children up to 12 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.

For treatment of chickenpox:
* Adults and children who weigh over 88 pounds (40 kilograms)—800 mg four times a day for five days.
* Children 2 years of age and older and weighing 88 pounds (40 kilograms) or less—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by the doctor. The usual dose is 20 mg per kilogram (kg) of body weight, up to 800 mg, four times a day for five days.
* Children up to 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.

For treatment of shingles:
* Adults and children 12 years of age and older—800 mg five times a day for seven to ten days.
* Children up to 12 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by the doctor.

For injection dosage form:
For treatment of herpes of the brain, genitals, or mucous membranes, or for the treatment of shingles:
* Adults and children 12 years of age and older—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by the doctor. The usual dose is 5 to 10 mg of acyclovir per kg (2.3 to 4.5 mg per pound) of body weight, injected slowly into a vein over at least a one-hour period, and repeated every eight hours for five to ten days.
* Children up to 12 years of age—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by the doctor. The usual dose is 10 mg to 20 mg of acyclovir per kg (4.5 mg to 9.1 mg per pound) of body weight, injected slowly into a vein over at least a one-hour period and repeated every eight hours for seven to ten days.

For treatment of widespread herpes virus infection in newborns:
* Infants from birth to 3 months of age—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by the doctor. The usual dose is 10 mg of acyclovir per kg (4.5 mg per pound) of body weight, injected slowly into a vein over at least a one-hour period and repeated every eight hours for ten days.

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Acyclovir Dosing Information

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Usual Adult Dose for Herpes Simplex — Mucocutaneous/Immunocompetent Host:

Initial episode or intermittent therapy: 200 mg orally every 4 hours (5 times a day) for 10 days. Alternatively, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 400 mg orally 3 times a day or 200 mg orally 5 times a day for 7 to 10 days.

Recurrent episodes: 200 mg orally every 4 hours (5 times a day) for 5 days. Alternatively, the CDC recommends 400 mg orally 3 times a day for 5 days, 800 mg orally twice a day for 5 days, or 800 mg orally 3 times a day for 2 days.

Orolabial HSV infection treatment: 400 mg orally 5 times a day for 5 days

IV:
Severe initial episode: 5 to 10 mg/kg IBW IV every 8 hours for 5 to 7 days

Therapy should be initiated at the earliest sign or symptom of primary infection (initial episode) or recurrence.

Usual Adult Dose for Herpes Simplex — Mucocutaneous/Immunocompromised Host:

Treatment:
Oral: 400 mg orally every 8 hours for 7 to 14 days
IV: 5 mg/kg IV every 8 hours for 7 to 14 days
Treatment dosages recommended by the CDC.

Episodic outbreaks: 200 mg orally every 4 hours (5 times a day) for 5 to 10 days. Alternatively, the CDC recommends 400 mg orally 3 times a day for 5 to 10 days or 7 to 14 days

Orolabial HSV infection treatment:
HIV-infected patients: 400 mg 3 times a day for 7 to 14 days; dosage recommended by the CDC

Therapy should be initiated at the earliest sign or symptom of primary infection (initial episode) or recurrence. Intravenous therapy is indicated for the treatment of primary infection in immunocompromised patients or patients with severe infection.

Usual Adult Dose for Herpes Simplex Encephalitis:

10 to 15 mg/kg IBW IV every 8 hours for 10 to 21 days

Usual Adult Dose for Herpes Simplex — Suppression:

Chronic suppressive therapy:
Immunocompetent patient: 400 mg orally twice a day; alternatively, 200 mg orally 3 to 5 times a day may be used
HIV-infected patient: 200 mg orally 3 times a day or 400 mg orally 2 times a day
HIV-infected patient, genital herpes: 400 to 800 mg orally 2 to 3 times a day

The safety and efficacy of daily acyclovir suppressive therapy have been documented among patients treated orally for up to six years. However, since the frequency and severity of recurrences may change over time, patients should be reevaluated after one year of therapy to assess the need for continued administration.

Daily suppressive therapy reduces but does not eliminate asymptomatic viral shedding, thus the extent to which it may prevent transmission of infection to others is unknown.

Usual Adult Dose for Herpes Zoster:

Acute herpes zoster:
800 mg orally every 4 hours (5 times a day) for 7 to 10 days
Severe, immunocompromised host: 10 mg/kg IBW IV every 8 hours for 7 to 14 days

Therapy should be initiated within 72 hours after onset of rash, although, during clinical trials, acyclovir was most effective when initiated within the first 48 hours.

Usual Adult Dose for Varicella-Zoster:

Chickenpox:
Immunocompetent host: 800 mg orally four times a day for 5 days
Immunocompromised host: 10 mg/kg IBW IV every 8 hours for 7 to 10 days; after fever abates and if there is no proof of visceral involvement, the patient may be switched to 800 mg orally four times a day

Therapy should be initiated at the earliest sign of chickenpox, no later than 24 hours after onset of rash.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Herpes Simplex:

Neonatal HSV infection:
Less than 3 months: 10 to 20 mg/kg or 500 mg/m2 IV every 8 hours for 10 to 21 days
Some clinicians recommend 10 mg/kg every 12 hours for premature neonates.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Herpes Simplex — Mucocutaneous/Immunocompetent Host:

3 months to 11 years:
Initial episode: 10 to 20 mg/kg orally 4 times a day or 8 to 16 mg/kg orally 5 times a day for 7 to 10 days
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends 40 to 80 mg/kg orally per day in 3 to 4 divided doses for 5 to 10 days.
Maximum dose: 1 g per day

12 years or older, over 40 kg:
Initial episode, severe initial episode, and recurrent episodes: Adult dose

Usual Pediatric Dose for Herpes Simplex — Mucocutaneous/Immunocompromised Host:

Treatment of mucocutaneous HSV infection:
Oral: 1 g orally per day in 3 to 5 divided doses for 7 to 14 days; dosage recommended by the AAP

IV:
3 months to 11 years: 5 to 10 mg/kg or 250 to 500 mg/m2 IV every 8 hours for 7 to 14 days
12 years or older, over 40 kg: Adult dose

Usual Pediatric Dose for Herpes Simplex Encephalitis:

3 months to 11 years: 10 to 20 mg/kg or 500 mg/m2 IV every 8 hours for 10 to 21 days
12 years or older: Adult dose

Usual Pediatric Dose for Herpes Simplex — Suppression:

Oral:
Less than 12 years: 80 mg/kg/day orally in divided doses 3 to 4 times a day, not to exceed 1 g/day
12 years or older: Adult dose

Immunocompromised host: 5 mg/kg IV every 8 or 12 hours or 250 mg/m2 IV every 8 hours during risk period

Oral acyclovir prophylaxis is recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service and Infectious Diseases Society of America for chronic suppressive therapy in HIV-infected individuals, including infants and children, with frequent or severe recurrences. Daily suppressive therapy reduces but does not eliminate asymptomatic viral shedding, thus the extent to which it may prevent transmission of infection to others is unknown.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Herpes Zoster:

Oral:
Immunocompetent host:
12 years or older: 800 mg orally every 4 hours (5 times a day) for 5 to 10 days

HIV-infected host: 20 mg/kg (up to 800 mg per dose) orally 4 times a day for 7 to 10 days; dosage recommended by the CDC

IV:
Immunocompetent host:
Less than 1 year: 10 mg/kg IV every 8 hours for 7 to 10 days
1 year to 11 years: 10 to 20 mg/kg or 500 mg/m2 IV every 8 hours for 7 to 10 days
12 years or older: Adult dose

Immunocompromised host:
Less than 12 years: 10 to 20 mg/kg IV every 8 hours for 7 to 10 days
12 years or older: 10 mg/kg IV every 8 hours for 7 to 10 days

Therapy should be initiated within 72 hours after onset of rash, although, during clinical trials, acyclovir was most effective when initiated within the first 48 hours.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Varicella-Zoster:

Chickenpox:
Immunocompetent host:
2 years or older, 40 kg or less: 20 mg/kg orally 4 times a day for 5 days
2 years or older, over 40 kg: Adult dose

Immunocompromised host:
Oral:
HIV-infected host: 20 mg/kg (up to 800 mg per dose) orally 4 times a day for 7 days or until no new lesions for 48 hours

IV:
Less than 1 year: 10 mg/kg every 8 hours for 7 to 10 days
1 year to 12 years: 10 to 20 mg/kg or 500 mg/m2 IV every 8 hours for 7 to 10 days
12 years or older: Adult dose

Therapy should be initiated at the earliest sign of chickenpox, no later than 24 hours after onset of rash.

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How Should I Take Acyclovir?

Sunday, March 15th, 2009

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Treatment with Acyclovir should be started as soon as possible after the first appearance of symptoms (such as tingling, burning, blisters).

Take each dose with a full glass of water. Drink plenty of water while you are taking Acyclovir to keep your kidneys working properly.

Acyclovir can be taken with or without food. Taking Acyclovir with food may decrease stomach upset.

Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just before you measure a dose. To be sure you get the correct dose, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one. Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Acyclovir will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Lesions caused by herpes viruses should be kept as clean and dry as possible. Wearing loose clothing may help to prevent irritation of the lesions.

Store Acyclovir at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

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