"Zovirax" is considered an antiviral agent that is used externally to eliminate viral infections provoked by the herpes simplex virus and some others. The drug is made in the form of a cream and ointment, tablets, lyophilisate. The active ingredient in all forms of release is acyclovir.
The composition of the cream includes the following auxiliary components: paraffin, cetostearyl alcohol, sodium salt of lauryl sulfuric acid, poloxamer 407, glycerol monostearate. dimethicone, ethylene glycol polymer, propylene glycol, water.
The composition of the tablets includes, in addition to acyclovir, povidone K30, lactose monohydrate, sodium starch glycolate, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate.
An auxiliary component of the ointment is white petrolatum, and the lyophilisate is sodium hydroxide.
What are the therapeutic properties of the cream for the skin and ointment for eyes "Zovirax"
The active substance of the drug has the ability to inhibit the replication of herpes simplex viruses (HSV) of all types, Varicella zoster, cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr. Acyclovir has the most pronounced antiviral properties against the first type of herpes virus.
After the first use of "Zovirax" on the damaged area of the skin, acyclovir is not absorbed into the blood. With subsequent use, the amount of absorption of the active ingredient into the bloodstream is minimal.
When doctors recommend using a medication
"Zovirax" is prescribed in the following conditions:
- Chicken pox (acute and infectious disease, as a rule, manifests itself in childhood, the disease is characterized by fever, rashes on the skin and mucous membranes).
- Genital herpes (damage to the genital mucosa, characterized by the appearance of a group of vesicles, and then erosion and sores).
- Herpes of the lips (a viral disease characterized by a rash of grouped vesicles on the epidermis and mucous membranes).
- Keratitis (inflammation of the cornea of the organs of vision, which is manifested by its clouding, pain and redness).
- Shingles (a disease caused by the herpes virus, which affects not only the skin, but also the central nervous system).
- Cytomegalovirus (an infectious lesion of a viral origin, which is transmitted through sexual, domestic transmission).
Limitations and adverse reactions
Contraindications to the use of the drug are individual intolerance, as well as kidney and liver diseases.
Side effects when using tablets and lyophilisate:
- Vomiting.
- Nausea.
- Diarrhea.
- Leukopenia (a pathology in which the number of white blood cells in the blood becomes less than the lower standard values).
- Anemia (a pathological process that is characterized by a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin and red blood cells).
- Thrombocytopenia (a disease that is characterized by a decrease in the number of platelets that circulate in the peripheral blood).
- Increased Sensitivity.
- Rashes.
- Fever.
- Quincke's edema (a disease of allergic origin, which manifests itself through edema of the skin, as well as subcutaneous tissue and mucous epithelium).
- Anaphylaxis (the body's reaction to a specific allergen, which is accompanied by muscle stenosis, swelling, as well as severe pain and suffocation).
- Nettle rash (a group of diseases that is characterized by the development of acutely itchy rashes on the epidermis, as well as on the mucous membranes).
- Photosensitivity (a disease in which the patient has an acute allergic reaction to ultraviolet light).
- Hepatitis (an inflammatory process in the liver as a result of a toxic, infectious or autoimmune process).
- Jaundice (the result of diseases of the liver and other organs, which manifests itself in staining of the skin, mucous membranes and sclera in a yellow tint due to bilirubin).
- Psychosis (a mental deviation in which a person cannot correctly perceive the surrounding reality and react to it properly).
- Confusion.
- Tremor (rhythmic muscle contractions).
- Hallucination (an image that appears in the human mind without an external stimulus).
- Migraine (severe headache, signs of which are considered frequent attacks of medium and high intensity).
- Fatigue.
- Hair loss.
Side effects when applying ointment for the eyes:
- Angioneurotic edema (an acute disease characterized by the rapid onset of local edema of the mucous membrane, as well as subcutaneous tissue and the epidermis itself).
- Point keratopathy (a pathological process that is characterized by a violation of the structure and functioning of the cornea of the eye).
- Burning.
- Conjunctivitis (an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the organs of vision, provoked by an allergic reaction or infection).
- Blepharitis (bilateral lesion of the ciliary edge of the eyelids).
Side effects when applying the cream:
- Hyperemia of the skin.
- Peeling.
- Dermatitis (damage to the skin, which appears due to the influence of factors of a chemical, as well as physical or biological nature).
- Quincke's edema.
How to take pills?
The drug is taken orally, washed down with water, during meals. When eliminating infectious lesions of the herpes simplex virus, tablets are prescribed in a dosage of 200 milligrams every four hours, five times a day.
The standard duration of therapy is five days, but in severe conditions, the course can be extended. With severe immunodeficiency, the dose of Zovirax can be increased to 400 milligrams while maintaining the same frequency of use. Therapy is recommended as soon as possible, already with the development of the first signs of the disease.
To prevent the recurrence of infectious viral diseases in people with normal immunity, it is necessary to take 200 milligrams of the drug four times a day at the same time intervals. The duration of therapy is determined by the doctor.
In the treatment of herpes zoster and chicken pox, a five-fold intake of 800 mg of the drug per day is prescribed. The duration of therapy is seven days. The medicine should be used as soon as possible after infection, because in this case, the treatment will be most effective.
For the treatment of patients with severe forms of immunodeficiency, a four-time intake of 800 mg of the drug per day at regular intervals is prescribed. People who have undergone bone marrow transplantation, before prescribing a tablet form of the drug, are usually advised to undergo a course of parenteral treatment with Zovirax. The maximum duration of therapy is six months.
For patients with severe kidney disease, the dosage of Zovirax is recommended to be reduced to 200 milligrams twice a day.
The shelf life of Zovirax tablets is 60 months. Keep the drug in a dark place where the temperature does not exceed plus twenty-five degrees.
The cost of tablets is from 500 to 850 rubles.
What is the shelf life of the Zovirax ointment, we will describe below.
Eye ointment
The drug is placed in the conjunctiva with a strip of 10 millimeters up to five times a day. Therapy is recommended to continue after the disappearance of symptoms for at least another three days.
The shelf life of this dosage form is 36 months, after opening the tube, the drug should be stored in the refrigerator, do not freeze. Zovirax ointment has a shelf life of one month after opening. The cost of the ointment is 250-300 rubles.
Lyophilisate
The prepared solution is administered intravenously. In obese people, the same doses are used as in patients with normal body weight.
To eliminate infectious diseases caused by the herpes simplex and herpes zoster virus, the medication is administered intravenously three times a day at a dosage of 5 milligrams per kilogram of weight.
For the treatment of infectious lesions in people with immunodeficiency, the drug is administered intravenously three times a day at a dosage of 10 milligrams per kilogram of weight.
To prevent cytomegalovirus infection during bone marrow transplantation, Zovirax is administered intravenously three times a day at a concentration of 500 milligrams per square meter of body area. Treatment begins from the fifth day before transplantation and lasts up to 30 days after transplantation.
Particular attention should be paid to lowering the dosage of Zovirax in people of retirement age with reduced creatinine clearance.
According to the application annotation, it is known that in people with kidney disease, the intravenous use of the drug must be prescribed with caution. Dosage varies depending on the degree of manifestation of the disease.
Where is the expiration date of Zovirax? As a rule, all the necessary information is indicated on the packaging or on the tube.
The lyophilisate should be kept away from children, at a temperature of not more than thirty degrees of heat. The shelf life of Zovirax in this form of release is five years. The cost varies from 1500 to 2000 rubles.
The duration of treatment with Zovirax in this dosage form is usually five days, but can be adjusted depending on the patient's condition. The duration of preventive treatment is determined by the length of the infectious-dangerous period.
Cream for external use
This dosage form is applied with a cotton swab or washed hands. A small amount of the drug is used on the affected and adjacent areas of the skin and mucous membranes up to five times a day.
According to the instructions for Zovirax cream, the duration of therapy, as a rule, is four days. With slow healing, treatment can be extended up to ten days.
If, after 10 days of therapy, the signs of the disease persist, then consult a doctor.
Shelf life of Zovirax cream is thirty-six months (if the tube is not printed). After opening, store thirty days. After the expiration date, Zovirax cream is prohibited. The medication should be stored away from children, at a temperature of no more than plus twenty-five degrees.
The cost of the cream varies from 180 to 200 rubles. Can Zovirax be used by small patients? Let's consider further.
For children
According to the instructions for use, small patients with immunodeficiency are prescribed a drug according to age:
- Up to two years, use half the dosage for adults.
- Children from two years of age are prescribed doses, as for adults.
According to the instructions to "Zovirax" children are prescribed it in the following dosages:
- Babies up to two years of age are prescribed 200 milligrams of the drug four times a day.
- For small patients from two to six years, 400 mg is recommended four times a day.
- Children from six years of age are prescribed medication four times a day for 800 milligrams.
The most accurate dosage can be determined based on the patient’s weight: 20 mg per kilogram of weight four times a day. The duration of therapy is 5 days.
According to the annotation for use, it is known that eye ointment and cream are used in infants according to the same scheme and in the same concentrations as in adult patients. Dosages of lyophilisate for intravenous use in children from three months to twelve years are calculated based on the area of the skin.
When eliminating the infectious lesions that are associated with the herpes simplex and herpes zoster virus, the dosage of intravenous injection is calculated according to the scheme of 250 milligrams per square meter three times a day.
During pregnancy
It is allowed to use tablets, solution, as well as Zovirax cream and ointment with an interesting position in a woman and during breastfeeding, but with special care, if indicated, and if the intended benefit to the mother outweighs the risk to the fetus. According to studies, there was no increase in the number of congenital diseases in children whose mothers took the drug during pregnancy.
Solution preparation
According to the application summary, it is known that Zovirax must be administered intravenously, slowly, for more than one hour. To make a solution with a concentration of the active component of 25 milligrams per milliliter, you need to add 10 ml of water or sodium chloride in an ampoule with powder and shake until completely dissolved.
For adults, it is recommended to use infusion solutions in packs of 100 ml, even if this gives a concentration of acyclovir significantly lower than 0.5%. Zovirax for intravenous use is compatible with these solutions and remains stable for twelve hours at a temperature of 15 to 24 degrees.
Analogs of ointment "Zovirax"
The substitutes for this dosage form of the drug are:
- "Acyclovir."
- "Valacyclovir".
- Penciclovir.
- Herpevir.
- "Virolex".
- "Cyclovax.
The analogue is cheaper than “Zovirax” - “Acyclovir”, its cost varies from 40 to 180 rubles.
Features
Before using the medication, it is important to read the annotation. There are several indications for the use of ointment and cream:
- The greatest therapeutic effect is achieved with the early start of Zovirax cream therapy in the phase of active spread of the virus.
- You can not apply "Zovirax" on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, since in such a situation there is a pronounced inflammatory reaction.
- During the treatment of herpes with damage to the mucous membrane of the urogenital tract, it is necessary to abandon intimate contacts while using the drug.
- In severe cases of lip infection, consult a doctor before treatment.
- Zovirax does not interact with drugs of other therapeutic groups.
- If it is necessary to treat a herpes infection in women during pregnancy or during breastfeeding, the use of a cream is possible only if the likely benefit for the mother outweighs the risks for the baby.
Cream "Zovirax" is dispensed without a doctor's prescription. The remaining dosage forms can be purchased only by prescription.
Patient opinions about the drug
Almost all reviews of "Zovirax" perfectly characterize the therapeutic efficacy of the drug. Most often used "Zovirax" from herpes. Negative reviews of adverse reactions and drug inefficiencies are rare. The greatest dissatisfaction is the cost of the drug.