Description

Zovirax is a trading name of the active ingredient Acyclovir. This is a worldwide famous antiviral product which stops a development of herpes virus and causes a fast reduction of he symptoms. Zovirax is indicated for the use during the different forms of the herpetic infection:

• Labial herpes
• Genital herpes
• Chickenpox
• Shingles

Zovirax is useful in the treatment of the herpetic infection in patients with low immune status, mainly with HIV infection.

Acyclovir rather quickly reduces the symptoms of acute herpes: it enters the chain of the virus DNA and breaks it in several places. Due to this, virus cannot normally develop and becomes silent. Zovirax is not able to cure of herpes virus because it is not treatable by any medical product. But a frequency of the outbreaks and course of the disease may be reduced.

Wounds are healed within 2 days after the use of Zovirax, itching and pain are reduced. in 3-5 days, the wounds are completely healed, and no signs of herpes are left.

In wha tdose is Zovirax used?

Zovirax may be used by both adult patients, and children over 1 year old. The drug is produced in the form of cream/gel and tablets. An optimal medical form is selected depending on a site of the infection and severity of the symptoms.

• To treat labial herpes, it is necessary to take a tablet of Zovirax 200 mg 5 times per day within 5 days. To accelerate an onset of the effect, cream for the external application may be used
• If an outbreak of the genital herpes, Zovirax 200 mg is used 5 times per day within 5-7 days. To control the symptoms of the genital herpes (during frequent outbreaks), Zovirax is prescribed in the dose of 200 mg per day within 1-2 years
• To treat chickenpox and shingles, it is necessary to take a tablet of Zovirax 800 mg 5 times per day within 7-10 days

Patients with low immune status do not adjust the dose. The treatment goes on the standard scheme.

Patients who are prescribed bone marrow transplantation should begin the use of Zovirax a month before the surgery. A dose is prescribed by a physician. After the bone marrow transplantation, the use of Zovirax is continued within 6-12 months in a high daily dose of 400-800 mg.

Precautions

• Zovirax is contraindicated patients who have had a hypersensitivity to acyclovir or propylene glycol
• During pregnancy, the medicine is used only if a potential positive treatment result is more important than a risk. A physician makes a decision about prescribing Zovirax during pregnancy
• If a patient has neurological disorders, renal failure or dehydration, the use of Zovirax should be in minimal doses

Side effects

The application of Zovirax is usually well tolerated, and the side effects are an exception from the rules. But in some cases, abdominal pain, nausea, weakness, headache, tremor may appear.

A patient should be observed during the appearance of the small sites of the skin rash. If the skin rash grows and severe itching appears, stop using Zovirax, take an antihistamine product and go to a doctor.