In the autumn-spring period, there is a high probability of a decrease in immunity, as a result of which a person can easily become infected with any viral infection. In addition, in winter, exacerbations of various chronic diseases are observed, which include human herpes in all its manifestations.
For many decades, the so-called "cold on the lips" was treated with external agents. But in recent years, thanks to discoveries in the field of virology, it has become clear that it is much more effective to deal with herpes rashes with the help of drugs taken orally, that is, orally. Among the many medicines for human herpes, the Famvir drug has proven itself quite well. To understand what its main advantages and disadvantages are over other similar medicines, it is worth considering all the information about it, which we will do now.
The composition of the drug, description
Pills for Famvir cold sores are an antiviral agent whose main active ingredient is famciclovir. They also include substances such as sodium starch glycolate and anhydrous lactose, hydroxypropyl cellulose and magnesium stearate. Each tablet is coated with a soluble coating consisting of 4000 and 6000 polyethylene glycols, hypromellose and titanium dioxide.
Famvir tablets have a rounded shape without pictures with the inscription "Famvir" on one side and the numbers corresponding to the dosage on the other. They are placed in blisters of 3 or 10 pieces. One package of the drug contains 1-4 blisters with tablets and instructions for use.
In addition to the tablet form, the pharmaceutical industry produces other types of drugs under this name. In pharmacy chains, you can find the external remedy “Famvir”. The ointment, which also includes famciclovir, can be used in conjunction with tablets to more effectively combat the manifestations of human herpes. The appropriateness of their joint use is determined by a specialist.
Pharmacological properties of the drug "Famvir"
As mentioned above, the antiviral effect of the drug is due to the presence of famciclovir compound in it. “Famvir”, due to its composition, is active against pathogens such as Herpes simplex and Varicella zoster, cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus. How does this substance affect their cells? After absorption into the body through the digestive tract, famciclovir is converted to penciclovir, which can penetrate virus-infected tissues.
After passing through cell membranes, penciclovir decomposes into simpler compounds - monophosphates, which are converted to triphosphates within a few hours. It is these substances that, when they are inside the viral cells for a long time, interfere with the replication of their DNA, that is, they prevent the viruses from sharing. It is worth noting that penciclovir is effective even if the body is affected by such resistant types of viruses as Herpes simplex with mutated DNA polymerase.
The drug “Famvir”, the analogues of which in most cases do not have such a high level of effectiveness, differs from other drugs in that its bioavailability is very high and amounts to about 77%. The therapeutic effect can be observed after less than an hour after applying the drug inside. The maximum concentration of famciclovir in plasma is observed already 45 minutes after the tablet was drunk. The drug is excreted mainly through the kidneys, the half-life of active substances from plasma is no more than three hours.
Indications for use
The drug “Famvir” recommends taking it for use in diseases caused by viral infections. These include chicken pox, ophthalmic herpes and shingles. The drug is effective both in primary infection and in exacerbations of chronic diseases. In addition, the drug is justified in case of recurrent infections caused by the human herpes virus and pathogens such as Herpes simplex and Varicella zoster. In addition to the above, the Famvir preparation is recommended for use to eliminate postherpetic neuralgia, which often develops in patients after shingles.
The drug is prescribed by the attending physician, who can correctly assess the patient’s condition and take into account all the risks associated with the use of a particular drug.
Contraindications
Like all medicines, Famvir, the reviews of patients and doctors about which will be described below, has a number of contraindications. First of all, tablets should not be taken by persons who have been intolerant of the components included in their composition: penciclovir, lactose, etc. In addition, the drug is forbidden to be given to children suffering from viral infectious diseases. The drug "Famvir" can not be used to treat herpes in pregnant and lactating women. All these instructions should be treated with special attention, since if the recommendations are not followed, patients may develop complications that will require a long and difficult treatment.
Side effects and overdose
The medicine "Famvir" rarely causes unwanted reactions of the body when used. The patient may experience symptoms such as mild headache or nausea while taking the drug. From the digestive tract, vomiting may occur. Among the side effects from the drug “Famvir”, the instructions for use mention changes in the central nervous system, which include drowsiness, dizziness, confusion and hallucinations. Possible manifestation of allergic reactions in the form of urticaria, hyperemia and itching of the skin. With all the symptoms mentioned above, symptomatic treatment helps to cope. In especially severe cases, patients undergo a hemodialysis procedure.
If the dosages of the drug recommended by the instruction are exceeded, the side and undesirable effects are more intense and pronounced. In addition, patients with chronic kidney disease may develop acute renal failure.
Method of drug use and dosage
When prescribing the drug "Famvir", the dosage for each patient is calculated individually. This takes into account not only the severity of the disease, but also the natural immunity of a person, as well as many other factors. The first thing you should pay attention to is the method of taking the pills, which the guide advises you to take orally with a large amount of liquid. Chew tablets "Famvir" instruction (doctors' reviews also contains such information) does not recommend, as this may affect the absorption of the active substance.
The course of treatment with this drug is 7 days, and the dosage depends, as mentioned above, on several conditions:
- In case of a disease caused by the Varicella zoster virus against the background of a normal (not reduced) immunological reaction of the body, the drug is prescribed in a dosage of 250 mg 3 times a day. With a double dose of the drug during the day, the dosage is 500 mg per dose, and with a single dose - 750 mg. For patients with reduced immunity, the dosage is 500 mg 3 times a day, and treatment lasts at least 10 days.
- For diseases caused by the Herpes simplex virus against a background of reduced immunity, the dosage of the drug is 500 mg 2 times a day. With normal immunity, the instruction recommends taking the drug 3 times a day, 250 mg each.
- With neuralgic syndrome of postherpetic origin, the drug “Famvir” is prescribed in a dosage of 250-500 mg 3 times a day.
- Ophthalmic herpes is treated with the drug "Famvir" in a dosage of 1500 mg per day. This amount must be divided into 3 doses during the day.
- Recurrent chronic viral infections caused by any type of herpes are treated for 5 days. The drug is taken twice during the day in the amount of 250 mg per dose. For the treatment of chronic non-herpetic infections, the dosage leaves 125 mg per dose 2 times a day.
- With herpes zoster, the dose of the drug usually does not exceed 250 mg per day.
- Genital recurrent herpes requires prolonged and prolonged treatment. Tablets "Famvir" in most cases, it is recommended to take within 6-12 months, 250 mg twice a day.
- For HIV-infected patients, the dosage of the drug is calculated based on their condition at the time the drug was prescribed. As a rule, the daily dose for them consists of three times taking 500 mg of the drug during the day.
Do not try to calculate the dosage of the drug in your case! Before using the drug "Famvir" you must consult your doctor.
special instructions
The instructions for use attached to each package of Famvir also contain a number of special instructions. When using drugs to treat viral infections in elderly patients whose age exceeds 65 years, dosage adjustment is recommended depending on the state of the urinary system and kidneys in particular. Special precautions in the form of monitoring the patient’s health will help to detect violations in the functioning of organs and prevent the development of acute renal failure.
Since the use of the drug “Famvir” for the treatment of viral infections in children has not been studied enough, it is recommended to use the medicine only if the health benefits of the child outweigh the potential risk of serious side effects or other undesirable consequences.
During treatment of genital herpes with the Famvir drug, experts advise to refrain from sexual intercourse or use barrier contraceptives during the period of therapeutic measures. This is due to the fact that re-infection is possible both during treatment and after its completion. In any case, the examination for the presence of infection should be passed to the partner of the patient. When confirming the diagnosis, treatment with Famvir tablets may be indicated to him. This will avoid re-infection.
Since lactose and galactose are part of the tablets, their use by patients with hereditary intolerance to these compounds is not always safe. In this case, it is worth choosing analogues of the drug in which these substances are absent.
Particular attention should be paid to the use of Famvir in the form of tablets for those who have to drive for a long time. If there are side effects from the central nervous system in the form of dizziness and drowsiness, one should refrain from driving until the end of treatment.
Information on the compatibility of the drug "Famvir" with other drugs is not available. However, specialists in the appointment of this drug take into account the method of excretion of other drugs from the body. The fact is that with a heavy load on the kidneys, with the help of which most types of metabolites are excreted from the body, dose adjustment of drugs is required. Thanks to this, the development of acute renal failure and other disorders in the functioning of the urinary organs can be avoided.
Reviews about the drug "Famvir"
What are the main advantages of the drug "Famvir"? Reviews of doctors about him in most cases do not carry negative information. Compared with other drugs of this class, an antiviral agent has the least number of adverse and undesirable reactions from different organs and systems. In addition, its use to a certain extent accelerates the treatment of herpes in any of its manifestations. As doctors note, a systemic effect on the body is always more effective than the local action of drugs. Doctors also note that the use of the Famvir medication for the treatment of immunocompromised patients shows good results. To do this, just adjust the dosage.
Reviews about the drug "Famvir" from patients are also positive. Unlike external remedies, it does not cause local reactions in the form of a feeling of dryness or constriction. One of the advantages of the drug, according to consumers, is the relatively low cost and versatility of the drug. It can be used both for “colds” on the lips and for other types of herpes, including herpes zoster.
Analogues of the drug "Famvir"
To date, the pharmaceutical market is saturated with drugs with antiviral activity similar in effect to the drug “Famvir”. Analogues of the drug are divided into two groups:
- According to the content of the main active substance (famciclovir).
- According to the therapeutic effect.
Only three drugs can be attributed to the first group: the drug “Famvir”, “Minaker” and “Famciclovir” itself. The difference between these drugs consists not only in the name of the manufacturer, but also in the amount of active substance in each tablet and, as a result, in the cost of the drugs. Famvir tablets against the background of analogues from this group are distinguished by a rather high content of famciclovir. The cost of the drug cannot be called low (about 800 rubles per 10 tablets of 125 mg), while the “Minaker” costs almost twice as much.
The second group includes a large list of antiviral drugs with activity against the human herpes virus. Among them are such medicines as Amiksin, Acyclovir, Valtrex, Kagocel, Zovirax, Ergoferon and many others. Compared to Famvir tablets, they act only on the herpes simplex virus. If we recall a fairly wide range of viruses, in relation to which the active ingredient of the drug, which was discussed in this article, its advantages over analogues in this group are becoming more and more obvious.
The cost of drugs similar in therapeutic effect to Famvir tablets is different. Some funds cost no more than 150 rubles per package, and the price of some reaches 1500-2000 rubles.
What is better to take: the drug "Famvir" or "Valtrex" and other analogues?
In order to finally understand whether it is worth replacing the Famvir drug with more affordable analogues in terms of cost, we will consider one of them in more detail. As an example, you can take the drug "Valtrex", in the instructions to which it is stated that it helps to cope with the human herpes virus.
The main active ingredient of this medicine is valaciclovir, which is active against Herpes labialis, Herpes simplex and Herpes zoster. It is indicated that the compound is ineffective in some cases, for example, with mutations of the DNA polymerase of the virus. In addition, the drug "Valtrex" is not used in the complex treatment of HIV-infected patients.
For a more complete picture, it is worth considering the side effects of the use of this drug. In addition to the phenomena that may occur while taking Famvir tablets, this drug has such undesirable effects of taking as convulsions, dyspnea, photosensitivity (light intolerance), leukopenia and much more. But this does not mean at all that the risk of these undesirable consequences is higher than that of the Famvir drug.
So to summarize. When trying to answer a question from the category: "" Famvir "or" Valtrex? " First of all, pay attention not to the cost of the drug, but to what types of viruses it is active against. Secondly, do not try to decide on your own how to replace the drug prescribed by your doctor, since in any case you will have to take into account many aspects, starting from the state of your body at the moment and ending with diseases suffered in childhood. Therefore, it is necessary to decide which is better: Valtrex or Famvir, not on your own, but with the help of a specialist who knows everything about your state of health.