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Nursing Notes and Community
Drug Name Dosages Therapeutic
Actions
Indications Adverse effects Contraindications Nursing considerations
acyclovir
(acycloguanosi
ne)
(ay sye' kloe ver)
Alti-Acyclovir
(CAN), Avirax
(CAN), ovirax
Pregnancy
Category B
Drug class
Antiviral
Purine
nucleosi
de
analogu
e
AD!"T#
Parenteral
510 mgkg
in!used "# over
1 $r% & ' $r (15
mgkgday) !or
(10 days)
Oral
"nitial genital
$er*es+ ,00 mg
& - $r (1%000
mgday) !or 10
days)
.ong/term
su**ressive
t$era*y+ -00
mg 0id !or u* to
1, mo)
Acute $er*es
1oster+ '00 mg
& - $r !ive
times daily !or
(10 days)
C$icken*o2+
'00 mg &id !or
5 days)
$%DIAT&IC $ATI%NT#
Parenteral
34# in!ections
5 1, yr+ 10
mgkg in!used
"# over 1 $r & '
$r !or ( days)
4$ingles% 34#
Antiviral
activity6
in$i0its
viral 7NA
re*lication)
"nitial and
recurrent
mucosal and
cutaneous
34#/1 and
34#/, and
varicella
1oster
in!ections in
immunocom*r
omised
*atients
4evere initial
and recurrent
genital $er*es
in!ections in
selected
*atients
3er*es
sim*le2
ence*$alitis
8reatment o!
neonatal
$er*es
sim*le2 virus
in!ections
Acute
treatment o!
$er*es 1oster
(s$ingles) and
c$icken*o2
9intment+
"nitial 34#
genital
in!ections6
limited
mucocutaneou
Systemic
administration
CN4+
3eadac$e
% vertigo%
de*ressio
n%
tremors%
ence*$alo
*at$ic
c$anges
7ermatolo
gic+
"n!lammati
on or
*$le0itis
at
in:ection
sites%
ras$% $air
loss
;"+
Nausea%
vomiting%
diarr$ea%
anore2ia
;<+
Crystalluri
a =it$
ra*id "#
administra
tion%
$ematuria
Topical
administration
7ermatolo
gic+
8ransient
Contraindic
ated =it$
allergy to
acyclovir%
sei1ures%
C3>% renal
disease%
lactation)
<se
cautiously
=it$
*regnancy)
Assessment
History: Allergy
to acyclovir%
sei1ures% C3>%
renal disease%
lactation%
*regnancy
Physical: 4kin
color% lesions6
orientation6 ?P%
P% auscultation%
*er!usion%
edema6 @%
adventitious
sounds6 urinary
out*ut6 ?<N%
creatinine
clearance
Interventions
Systemic administration
Ansure t$at t$e
*atient is =ell
$ydrated)
Topical administration
4tart treatment
as soon as
*ossi0le a!ter
onset o! signs
and sym*toms)
Bear a ru00er
glove or !inger
cot =$en
a**lying drug)
Teaching points
Systemic administration
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Nursing Notes and Community
ence*$alitis+ ,0
mgkg "# over 1
$r & ' $r !or 10
days)
Neonatal 34#+
10 mgkg
in!used over 1
$r & ' $r !or 10
days)
Oral
5 , yr+ 4a!ety
not esta0lis$ed)
, yr and 5 -0
kg+ ,0 mgkg
*er dose &id
('0 mgkgday)
!or 5 days)
-0 kg+ <se
adult dosage)
1, yr+ <se adult
dosage)
s 34#
in!ections in
immunocom*r
omised
*atients
Cream+
@ecurrent
$er*es la0ialis
(cold sores) in
*atients C 1,
yr
<nla0eled
uses+
Cytomegalovir
us and 34#
in!ection
!ollo=ing
trans*lant%
$er*es
sim*le2
in!ections%
varicella
*neumonia%
disseminated
*rimary
ec1ema
$er*eticum
0urning at
site o!
a**licatio
n
Com*lete t$e !ull
course o! oral
t$era*y% and do
not e2ceed t$e
*rescri0ed dose)
9ral acyclovir is
not a cure !or
your disease 0ut
s$ould make you
!eel 0etter)
Avoid se2ual
intercourse =$ile
visi0le lesions
are *resent)
Dou may
e2*erience t$ese
side e!!ects+
Nausea%
vomiting% loss o!
a**etite%
diarr$ea6
$eadac$e%
di11iness)
@e*ort di!!iculty
urinating% ras$%
increased
severity or
!re&uency o!
recurrences)
Topical administration
Bear ru00er
gloves or !inger
cots =$en
a**lying t$e
drug to *revent
autoinoculation
o! ot$er sites
and transmission
to ot$ers)
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Nursing Notes and Community
8$is drug does
not cure t$e
disease6
a**lication
during sym*tom/
!ree *eriods =ill
not *revent
recurrences)
Avoid se2ual
intercourse =$ile
visi0le lesions
are *resent)
8$is drug may
cause 0urning%
stinging% itc$ing%
ras$6 noti!y your
*$ysician i!
t$ese are
*ronounced)
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