Famciclovir
CLINICAL USE
Antiviral agent
DOSE IN NORMAL RENAL FUNCTION
Zoster: 250 mg 3 times a day or 750 mg once daily(Immunocompromised: 500 mg 3 times daily)First genital herpes infection: 250 mg 3 times a dayAcute recurrent genital herpes: 125 mg twice a day(Immunocompromised: 500 mg twice a day)Suppression: 250 mg twice daily (HIV patients: 500 mg twice daily)
PHARMACOKINETICS
DOSE IN RENAL IMPAIRMENT
GFR (mL/MIN)
For immunocompromised patients, see ‘Other Information’30–59 Zoster, and first episode genital herpes: 250 mg twice a day Recurrent genital herpes: Dose as in normal renal function 10–29 Zoster, and first episode genital herpes: 250 mg daily Recurrent genital herpes: 125 mg daily
DOSE IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING RENAL REPLACEMENT THERAPIES
IMPORTANT DRUG INTERACTIONS
Potentially hazardous interactions with other drugsProbenecid: decreased excretion of famciclovirIncreased famciclovir levels reported with mycophenolate mofetil
ADMINISTRATION
Reconstition
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Route
Oral
Rate of Administration
–
Comments
–
OTHER INFORMATION
Treatment of herpes infections in immuno compromised patients:GFR (mL/min) Dose Zoster Simplex>40 500 mg 3×/day 500 mg 2×/day30 39 250 mg 3×/day 250 mg 2×/day10 29 125 mg 3×/day 125 mg 2×/dayWell absorbed after oral administration; deacetylated and oxidised rapidly to form the potent and selective antiviral compound penciclovirFour hours’ haemodialysis results in approximately 75% reduction in plasma concentration of penciclovir.