In the article, we will consider how to use "Acyclovir" for angina.
The defeat of the mucous membranes of the tonsils can occur under the influence of bacteria, viruses, fungi. In each of these cases, a pathology called tonsillitis develops. The people call this disease angina. However, therapy in all cases will be different. This medication is recommended for the treatment of viral damage. "Acyclovir" with herpetic sore throat will be effective. If the inflammation is provoked by fungi or bacteria, the use of the drug will be inappropriate. Purulent sore throat, for example, they are not treated, this requires antibacterial medications.
Angina of viral origin is no less common than bacterial. It can be caused by influenza viruses, herpes, Coxsackie, ECHO.
The transmission of the pathogen occurs by airborne droplets (for example, during sneezing, coughing, talking, etc.), but the fecal-oral route of transmission is also allowed, which, however, is less common. In the fecal-oral route of infection, it occurs through dirty hands, nipples, food, toys, etc. And finally, among the possible ways of infection is the contact transmission route, which means infection through the nasopharyngeal discharge.
The virus carrier and the diseased person act as the main natural reservoir (infection through animals occurs somewhat less frequently). Reconvalescents (recovering patients) can also be considered as a source of infection, due to the fact that the virus is secreted by them for several weeks (usually 3-4).
The effectiveness of "Acyclovir" with angina
If primary sore throat symptoms occur, the origin of the pathology should be determined as soon as possible - viruses or bacteria provoked it. The treatment will depend on the variety of pathogen. Acyclovir is a member of the antiviral group. Therefore, its use for the treatment of bacterial tonsillitis is unreasonable. Conversely, antibiotic drugs for tonsillitis of viral origin will not give a result.
As a rule, doctors do not spend time on the diagnostic smear required for backseeding: it takes a long time to wait for the results of the study, and therapy should begin immediately (despite the fact that such a diagnosis is the best option for prescribing optimal and effective therapy). Many experts are guided by two principles. The first is the simultaneous administration of Acyclovir (or another antiviral medication) and an antibiotic medication. Such an approach is considered not entirely true, as the patient’s body experiences a strong additional drug load. Another principle is a thorough study of symptoms. The specialist is trying to understand the origin of angina by clinical symptoms. For example, if a patient has an increase in temperature, an increase in tonsils and lymph nodes, sore throat, but there is no runny nose and cough, then it is most likely a viral sore throat. In addition, a red rash and sores on the tonsils may indicate viral tonsillitis.
With angina of bacterial origin, the temperature is also present, but it is insignificant. In addition, there is a change in voice, the appearance of cough and runny nose. In addition, a microbial lesion, as a rule, is accompanied by the appearance of white plaque on the tonsils, and the lymph nodes are normal in size.
This approach to determining the genesis of pathology is allowed, but there are situations when the disease is atypical: it is very difficult to guess the pathogen in this case.
Taking into account the above, we can conclude that the only accurate method for determining the etiology of the disease is bacteriosis and laboratory diagnostics.
The composition of the drug
The active substance in any dosage form of “Acyclovir” for angina is acyclovir. The list of auxiliary components included in the medicine depends on the form of the drug and the manufacturer.
Indications for the use of medication for tonsillitis
The use of “Acyclovir” for viral tonsillitis contributes to the rapid healing of the patient, reduces the risk of the spread of pathological lesions, the development of complications. It also helps to reduce sore throat if tonsillitis is in the acute stage.
The use of “Acyclovir” for herpes sore throat in children and adults also provides an immunostimulating effect (which is aimed at stimulating the body's protective responses to the penetration of a viral agent).
In addition to viral tonsillitis, Acyclovir can be used to eliminate other lesions provoked by herpes simplex, herpes zoster, and also for the prevention of viral pathologies in patients with reduced immunity.
With a sore throat of a purulent nature
So, will “Acyclovir” help with purulent tonsillitis?
As already noted, angina can develop due to viral or microbial damage. If we talk about purulent tonsillitis, then it has precisely microbial origin. It is usually caused by "pyogenic staphylococcus", somewhat less often - "Neysheria", "hemophilic bacillus", "staphylococcus". These microorganisms are exclusively bacterial flora, on which the drug will not have any effect. "Acyclovir" with purulent tonsillitis will be ineffective, therapy should be carried out using antibacterial agents. It is carried out after the pathogen has been identified and its degree of sensitivity to antibiotic drugs has been determined.
Dosage Forms
Currently, several different forms of "Acyclovir" are sold in drugstores - ointment intended for external use, eye ointment, tablets, lyophilisate, from which an injection solution for intravenous administration is prepared:
- The tablets have a white color, the content of the active substance in it is 0.2 g.
- Ointment used externally has a concentration of 5%. It is packaged in aluminum tubes having a volume of 5 or 10 grams. This ointment with angina is used to lubricate the affected tonsils. It usually takes 5-10 days.
- The lyophilisate is packaged in bottles, the volume of which can be 250, 500, 1000 mg. It is used for the manufacture of an injection solution.
Before choosing the required dosage form for the medication, a specialist evaluates the patient's condition. For example, if angina is treated on an outpatient basis, the use of ointment and tablets will be advisable.
When angina is characterized by a severe course, and the likelihood of developing complications is high, the patient is shown inpatient treatment. In this case, a lyophilisate is usually used.
Many pharmaceutical companies produce Acyclovir for herpes sore throat in children and adults, so it may have a double name. The second part indicates the manufacturer. Most often, the following brands are found: Belmed, ZhFF, Belupo, Vishfa, Farmak, Astrafarm, Herds, Darnitsa, Akrikhin.
Pharmacodynamics
Acyclovir is a synthetic analogue of purine nucleoside that has inhibitory activity against human herpetic viruses, namely, herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes zoster, chickenpox virus.
Acyclovir is characterized by a highly selective inhibitory activity against these infectious agents. In uninfected cells, thymidine kinase (an enzyme substance) does not consider acyclovir as a substrate, therefore, the toxic effect on the cells is minimal. However, thymidine kinase encoded in the cells of the virus interacts with acyclovir, transforming it into acyclovir monophosphate. This substance is an analogue of a nucleoside, which is subsequently phased into diphosphate and triphosphate. It is acyclovir triphosphate that interacts with the DNA polymerase of the virus immediately after penetration into the DNA of the virus. The result of these processes is to block the synthesis of the DNA strand of the virus.
Pharmacokinetics
In the intestinal cavity, “Acyclovir” is partially absorbed.
In adult patients, the half-elimination period of a substance with intravenous use reaches 2.9 hours. Most of acyclovir is excreted by the kidneys unchanged.
In patients with impaired renal function, the half-elimination period can reach 19.5 hours. The substance binds to plasma albumin by 9-33%.
Contraindications
According to the instructions for use with "Acyclovir", it should not be used with angina if the patient has an increased sensitivity to substances in the medication, as well as to similar antiviral agents ("Ganciclovir", "Valacyclovir" and others).
It is highly not recommended to use the drug in the lactation period, for the treatment of patients under 3 years of age.
Caution should be exercised when using the medicine in the following cases:
- Pregnancy.
- Senile age.
- Dehydration.
- Renal failure.
- Neurological disorders.
- Cases of a neurological reaction in response to cytotoxic drug therapy.
The use of “Acyclovir” tablets for adults and children with bacterial angina is impractical and unreasonable.
Negative impact
When treating viral sore throat with “Acyclovir”, side symptoms rarely develop. However, such a possibility does exist. Most often, the following unwanted symptoms develop:
- Fatigue.
- Lower back pain.
- Photosensitivity, rash, itching.
- Jaundice.
- Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea.
- Drowsiness, cramps, hand tremors, irritability, dizziness, headache.
- Allergic answer.
- Thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, anemia.
The indicated negative symptoms are transient in nature, disappearing after the end of the therapeutic course. In addition, their development, as a rule, is due to the fact that the patient has renal failure or other background pathologies.
What is the dosage of Acyclovir for angina in children and adults?
Use of medication
Acyclovir, if used for the treatment of viral tonsillitis, should be taken immediately after eating. It should be washed down with water in large quantities. The dosage should be coordinated by the attending specialist. In standard situations, it is recommended that adult patients take 200-400 mg five times a day, that is, every 4 hours. The duration of therapy is 1 week.
Patients with impaired renal function should adjust the dose and mode of use, monitoring creatinine clearance and taking into account the type of viral lesion. In cases where angina is provoked by the herpes simplex virus, and creatinine clearance is less than 10 ml / min, the daily dosage of the drug should be reduced to 400 mg in two uses.
An ointment for treating the throat is recommended to be used up to 6 times during the day, with the same intervals between applications. Ointment should be treated with tonsils. It is important to begin processing tonsils at the earliest stages of the development of pathology. Continue treatment until the vesicles heal. On average, this period is 5-10 days.
How to use "Acyclovir" for tonsillitis in children?
Use in the treatment of children
Tonsillitis of viral etiology in pediatric patients is capable of provoking the development of such a dangerous pathology as false croup. This condition is accompanied by the development of laryngeal edema, narrowing of the lumen, the occurrence of suffocation. To prevent the development of complications, the therapeutic effect should be started as early as possible. Dosage of "Acyclovir" with angina should be strictly observed.
For patients under the age of one year, therapy is prescribed using rectal suppositories (such drugs as Genferon Light, Viferon are effective).
You can use the ointment to treat the throat from the age of four. The “Acyclovir” tablet medicine for angina in children should be used in accordance with the following schemes:
- Children 1-2 years old - five times a day for 100 mg. The duration of therapy is 5 days.
- Children 2-5 years old - four times a day for 200 mg.
- Children 6 years and older - four times a day.
The duration of therapy is determined by the pediatrician, who assesses the dynamics of the child’s recovery.
What else do you need to know during the treatment of angina with “Acyclovir”?
Overdose
An antiviral agent in the digestive tract is not completely absorbed. There are clinical cases when patients accidentally took about 20 grams of the drug, and at the same time there was no toxic effect. Repeated accidental administration of an increased dose of Acyclovir led to the following negative symptoms in patients, indicating intoxication:
- Impaired consciousness, headache.
- Vomiting, nausea.
Intravascular overdose leads to an increase in creatinine and urea nitrogen in the blood plasma: the patient begins to develop renal failure. The nervous system in this case is responsible for the development of seizures, agitation, impaired consciousness, the onset of a coma.
Intoxication therapy should be carried out in a hospital setting after assessing the severity of poisoning. It is recommended to immediately wash the stomach, prescribe symptomatic medications to the patient. The active substances of Acyclovir lend themselves well to elimination, and therefore, with confirmed intoxication, it is advisable to use hemodialysis.
Interaction with other pharmacological agents
“Acyclovir” for sore throat in adults and children can be taken without fear of possible drug interactions: clinical practice does not have information that such arose.
The active substance is excreted mainly unchanged by the kidneys. Because of this, it is likely that any medication that is characterized by a similar principle of excretion can affect the concentration in the serum of Acyclovir.
Concurrent use with immunosuppressive pharmaceutical preparations can also increase the concentration of the active component in the blood serum. However, the adjustment of therapeutic regimens and dosage regimens in these cases is not required.
Analogues of the drug
For the treatment of angina of viral origin, synonyms of “Acyclovir” can also be used. The most popular complete analogues of the medication are: “Acyc”, “Virolex”, “Atsigerpin”, “Botsikiklovir”, “Atsivir”, “Geviran”, “Gerpevir”, “Zovirax”, “Herpetad”, “Medovir”, “Provirsan” .
In addition, in certain situations, the use of similar drugs (having a different composition, but having a similar therapeutic effect) is allowed. The most popular are: Familar, Tsimeven, Ribapeg, Famvir, Ribamidil, Trivorin, Minaker, Ribavirin, Vacirex, Ribavin, Valtsit, Rebetol "," Valacyclovir "," Vero-Ribavirin "," Arviron "," Valtrex.
The local form of Acyclovir (ointment) can be replaced with Epigen, Erazaban, Helepin-D, Lomagerpan, Fludeks, Oxolin, Kondilin, Fenistilom Pentzivir, Imiquimod, Imiquimod Devirs ”,“ Gossypol ”,“ Vartekom ”,“ Giporamin ”,“ Bonaphton ”,“ Gerpferon ”,“ Alpizarin ”.
It should be noted that each of these drugs is intended for the treatment of precisely viral tonsillitis, for example, herpetic. With bacterial tonsillitis, these funds will be ineffective. In addition, each of these medications has specific contraindications, it can provoke the development of side symptoms. Therefore, it is extremely important to consult with your doctor about the possibility of replacing the drug.
Medication cost
"Acyclovir" is an affordable medication. The cost of a package containing 20 tablets is about 60 rubles. One tube with ointment costs about 50 rubles.
The price of the drug depends on the manufacturer, the region of distribution, the pricing policy of the pharmacy network and may vary.
Reviews about "Acyclovir" with angina
Most of the reviews left by patients who have experience with the use of "Acyclovir" in the treatment of angina are positive and indicate a high effectiveness of the medication. The main point is the timely initiation of therapy with the initial symptoms of the inflammation process. This approach allows you to prevent the development of complications, reduce the duration of the pathological process, quickly weaken and stop the manifestation of unpleasant symptoms. - «» .
«» , :
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that can accelerate the relief of inflammation and relieve pain (Nimesil, Ibuprofen and the like).
- Mucolytic pharmaceuticals designed to eliminate irritation of tissues and mucous membranes.
- Antihistamines that help relieve swelling in the throat.
Throughout the entire therapeutic course, bed rest should be observed, vitamin fortified drinks should be consumed, for example, rosehip infusion, tea with lemon. It is forbidden to use compresses for warming the throat: with a viral lesion, such an effect can only complicate the situation.
With a complex effect on the problem, the disease is cured quite quickly, and the medications described above can reduce the severity of clinical symptoms. At the same time, “Acyclovir” with angina in adults and children allows you to directly target the pathogen.