Acyclovir - a drug for the treatment of viral diseases. It is available in different dosage forms, so it can be used inside, intravenously, topically and locally. Acyclovir is prescribed for diseases caused by the herpes virus - herpes simplex Herpes simplex - in fact, not so simple , Genital herpes, chicken pox, shingles and others.

The mechanism of action of acyclovir

Acyclovir - is an antiviral drug that comes in tablet form for oral administration, a lyophilized (dried with the help of modern technology) powder for solution for injection in vials, 5% ointment for topical use, ophthalmic ointment 3% and 5% cream.

The mechanism of action of acyclovir is based on the fact that, under the action of the enzyme, which is produced only in the infected cells, it is converted to its active form - acyclovir triphosphate. Acyclovir triphosphate enters the infected cell and incorporated into the process of synthesis of viral DNA, thereby inhibiting its reproduction.

Acyclovir is a non-toxic drug, as it has no harmful effects on healthy cells that do not produce an enzyme to activate it. Its action is strictly selective - only for virus cells.

Show sensitivity to acyclovir herpes simplex viruses (including causing genital herpes) causes chicken pox and shingles Ringworm - not only infectious disease And cytomegalovirus.

When skin manifestations of herpes acyclovir prevents the spread of the rash, it accelerates prisyhanie bubbles, reduces the risk of complications in the internal organs, reduces the pain of shingles, has an immunostimulatory effect.

Once inside absorbed about a fifth of the dose of acyclovir. It enters the brain and spinal cord, is excreted in human milk. Acyclovir is decomposed in the liver, and then is removed by the kidneys in unchanged form or in the form of metabolic products.

Indications and contraindications for use

Acyclovir is prescribed for the appearance of the earliest signs of the disease:

• for the treatment of primary and recurrent infections of the skin and mucous membranes, herpes simplex virus, such as genital herpes, and herpes of the lips, including immunocompromised patients after organ transplantation;
• for the treatment of chickenpox and shingles caused by herpes viruses;
• for the treatment of herpes infections of internal organs (encephalitis, pneumonia, and so on);
• for the treatment of herpes infections in newborns;
• for the treatment of herpetic eye disease (herpetic keratitis).

When acyclovir is recommended to drink more water - it will warn the deposition of salts in the kidneys (sand). The application of an ointment or cream is recommended to wear gloves to prevent the spread of the rash to other areas of the body.

Contraindications for the purpose of acyclovir is an idiosyncrasy of the drug and breast-feeding. When pregnancy acyclovir is assigned when the intended benefits to the woman's body than the potential risk to the body of the child.

Not recommended to prescribe acyclovir Acyclovir - as it is safe?   with severe kidney disease in violation of their functions.

Side effects

When the pill atsikolvira: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain Abdominal pain: Types and Symptoms , Headache, dizziness, decreased performance and concentration, hallucinations, drowsiness or insomnia, mild fever, body rash, alopecia, transient effects on the liver and kidneys, reduced the number of blood leukocytes and erythrocytes.

With the introduction of acyclovir intravenously, general reactions: nausea, vomiting, acute renal failure due to deposition in the kidney tissue salt crystals, sand (salt crystals) in the urine, impaired consciousness, hallucinations, agitation, tremors, convulsive readiness, acute mental disorders (psychosis), drowsiness or insomnia, coma; at the site of injection: inflammation of the skin or the walls of the veins (phlebitis).

When topically applied acyclovir ophthalmic ointment: burning and itching at the site overlay ointment surface inflammation.

Prolonged external application: at the site of an ointment or cream burning, itching, rash, redness and dryness of skin peeling; on the mucous membranes - irritation, which is accompanied by burning and itching.

Overdose

Signs of an overdose of acyclovir include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, acute renal failure, seizures, coma. When these signs need to call an ambulance: treatment should be carried out only in a hospital.

Acyclovir - a drug that has to appoint a doctor.

Galina Romanenko

Influenza - commonly known acute infectious disease that affects all age groups, transmitted by airborne droplets and has a very high index of contagiousness. The peak incidence occurs in autumn-winter period, in different years the waves have different lift height, which depends on many factors. Influenza - a serious illness, taking a large number of lives, comparable to the loss of life during the world wars.

Symptoms

For influenza typical acute onset within hours, maximum - five days after the contact with the source of the infection.

Characterized by a sharp increase in body temperature to high numbers on the background of the lack of pronounced catarrhal symptoms, on the other hand, the patient feels dryness in the nose and throat. Catastrophically growing headache Headache: Causes and Complications   and pain in the muscles, which patients are described as general aches. The state of health is suffering to such an extent that the person is placed in the bed and is unable to actively move around, even at home. In parallel, growing phenomenon of cardiopulmonary diseases Heart failure - when the heart is unable to cope with the work , At a safe flow passing over several days.

Current flu can be varying degrees of severity - from mild to very severe, toxic. This flu is dangerous not only for its severe, but complications.

Complications of influenza

The early complications of influenza include swelling Prevention and treatment of edema - it is important to understand the root cause   lung and brain edema in severe influenza infection. Such states are developing very quickly and have a high proportion of mortality, so if severe symptoms of intoxication necessary urgent hospitalization in specialized department.

Other complications do not develop so quickly, but also have very unpleasant consequences for the patient. Primary influenza pneumonia usually runs a very hard and fast, resulting in a large percentage of cases lethal. Often develop secondary bacterial pneumonia, which occurs also quite hard, but, in contrast to the primary outcome is favorable.

Otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis and rhinitis - also often complicate the flu, for their little different from the classic. Reye's syndrome (Ray) often develops in children, which to reduce the temperature of the flu were given aspirin, and is manifested by increased intoxication, vomiting accession, and without the provision of emergency ends in death.

Elderly patients are at risk in the development of complications of the flu Influenza - expect the unexpected but always As myocarditis and pericarditis, which, against the background of existing chronic heart disease can also result in lethal.

Treatment

During the influenza epidemic, when a high fever and development toxicity must immediately organize the patient bed rest, mobilizing all the forces of the body to fight infection, and call a doctor at home to limit contact of the sick to even healthy people at work and in the clinic.

The patient must be reinforced to ensure drinking regime. Drinking should be warm, pleasant and constant. Meals such a patient should be easy, mainly of proteins and cooked vegetables. In no case can not eat by force. But you need to drink even in the absence of thirst. If intoxication symptoms progressively increase - no need to wait for the doctor, it is best to call an ambulance and get ready for a possible hospitalization. This is especially true of young children and elderly patients, however, and people of working age are usually hospitalized in a hospital as their favorite home remedies and pills, alleged anti-influenza properties to cope with a serious illness, and even more so with its complications, it will not turn.

Svetlana Shimkovich