"Gerpevir" (pills): instructions, reviews, analogues

No one is immune from infections and viruses. No matter how carefully a person treats his health, it is not always possible to avoid diseases. To combat such pathologies, an effective antiviral agent will be required. This is the medicine "Gerpevir" (pills). The instruction positions it as an antiviral drug that possesses immunostimulating properties. Consider this tool.

The composition of the drug "Gerpevir"

Tablets contain the active substance - acyclovir. Depending on the form of release, one pill can contain it in an amount of 200 mg or 400 mg.

In addition to the active substance, the preparation includes auxiliary components:

• potato starch;
• Calcium stearate;
• Povidone.

Pharmacological effects of the drug

The drug "Gerpevir" is an excellent antiviral agent. He has a high activity in relation to herpes simplex I, type II. In addition, for the treatment of chicken pox and shingles, the Gerpevir (pills) medication is in great demand. The instruction indicates that the given agent, thanks to the active substance acyclovir, perfectly influences the viruses, interrupting their reproduction.

The use of the drug makes it possible to prevent the formation of rash in a timely manner, to ease the pain syndrome with shingles and to accelerate the process of formation of crusts in the patient.

The medicine has excellent immunostimulating properties. The drug "Gerpevir" (tablets) is highly effective in the treatment of pathologies provoked by the Epstein-Barr virus (herpesvirus type IV) and cytomegalovirus.

After oral administration, the maximum concentration of this drug in the blood is observed after 90 - 120 minutes.

Indications for use

To use, like any medicine, it is necessary for the prescription of the doctor the drug "Gerpevir" (pills). Instructions for use lead to the following series of pathologies, in which the medicament has a beneficial therapeutic effect on the body:

1. Infectious diseases of the mucosa and skin, provoked by herpes of type 1,2. Including recurrent or primary genital.
2. Shingles.
3. Prevention of recurrence of infections caused by the herpes simplex virus.
4. Chickenpox.
5. Treatment and prevention of viral herpes in patients with severe impairment of the immune system.

Contraindications to admission

Not all patients can use Gerpevir. The instruction gives the following contraindications:

• Individual sensitivity to the components of the medicine;
• pregnancy;
• breast-feeding;
• Severe disorders in the work of the kidneys;
• Dehydration of the body.

Side effects

Warns about the possibility of occurrence of undesirable consequences during the administration of the drug "Gerpevir" (tablets) instruction. Feedback from patients, on the contrary, indicates that the remedy is well tolerated by the body. Side effects are extremely rare.

Among the possible undesirable reactions are the following:

1. Blood and lymphatic system. Thrombocytopenia, anemia, and leukopenia. Such manifestations are extremely rare.
2. Nervous system. Perhaps dizziness, headache. Rarely, patients can be confused, excited, tremor, dysarthria, ataxia, psychotic symptoms, drowsiness, hallucinations, encephalopathy, convulsions. These are reversible manifestations, which often occur in patients with renal insufficiency or other risk factors.
3. Respiratory system. Sometimes there is shortness of breath.
4. The digestive tract. The patient may experience vomiting, nausea, pain, diarrhea.
5. Hepatobiliary system. Increases the level of bilirubin, liver enzymes. The side effect is reversible. It is rare enough to develop hepatitis, jaundice.
6. Skin covers. The patient may feel itchy and observe a rash.
7. The immune system. Anaphylaxis, angioedema. Manifestations are rare.
8. Urinary system. Sometimes the blood plasma increases the level of creatinine, raises urea. Such states are rare. Some patients may feel pain in the kidneys.
9. Common violations. There may be increased fatigue, fever.

Dosages for adult patients

Consider how to take Gerpevir tablets.

The instruction of the preparation gives the following recommendations:

1. Treatment of an infection provoked by the herpes simplex virus. With pathology, a drug of 200 mg 5 times a day is prescribed. In this case, it is very convenient to use the drug "Gerpevir" - 200 mg (tablets). Instruction advises to withstand between meals interval of 4 hours. This therapy lasts 5 days. If the patient has a severe primary infection, the treatment is prolonged until 10 days. Patients with immunodeficiency (for example, who underwent bone marrow transplantation) or with reduced digestibility of the drug in the intestine, the dose is doubled (400 mg). In this case, intravenous administration of the corresponding medicinal form of the Herpevir preparation may be prescribed.
2. Prevention of recurrence of infection, provoked by the herpes simplex virus. For patients with normal immunity, it is recommended to use the drug 4 times a day for 200 mg. The interval between use is 6 hours. You can take the medicine according to another scheme. In this case, 400 mg are used twice a day. An interval of 12 hours is mandatory. In this case, effective treatment will be even if the patient uses three times a day for 200 mg with a mandatory interval of 8 hours. Some patients report a radical improvement after the administration of 800 mg of medication per day. The duration of preventive use of the drug varies from the frequency of relapses that occur. Depending on this, the duration of therapy is determined. However, the treatment does not exceed 6-12 months.
3. Preventing the occurrence of an infection provoked by the herpes simplex virus. Patients with immunodeficiency medication is prescribed 4 times a day (6-hour interval) of 200 mg. Sometimes the dose can be doubled. This is appropriate for patients suffering from severe immunodeficiency. The duration of application is determined by the duration of the risk period.
4. Treatment of herpes zoster. With such pathologies, the drug is prescribed 5 times a day (interval 4 hours) at 800 mg. The duration of therapy is 7 days. In severe immunodeficiency, intravenous administration of the drug is recommended.

Features of the use of drugs by children

Carefully use the Gerpevir - tablets for babies. Instruction for children under the age of 2 categorically prohibits the use of the drug.

Immunodeficiency viruses for the prevention and treatment of infections caused by the herpes simplex virus are allowed to use the same doses as for adult patients.

At a chicken pox to kids (2-6 years) it is recommended to use 400 mg of a drug four times a day. Children older than 6 years take 4 times a day for 800 mg. Treatment should last 5 days.

Use of the drug in old age

In the case of the use of medicines by elderly people, it is necessary to take into account possible disturbances in the functioning of the kidneys. In this case, the dosage of the drug should be changed. It is extremely important to maintain a normal level of hydration.

Application in renal failure

Such patients are extremely cautiously prescribed the medicine "Gerpevir" (pills). The instruction warns of the need to maintain the proper level of hydration in the body.

Patients with severe form of kidney failure should use the drug twice a day for 200 mg. The interval between doses should be about 12 hours.

With such pathologies as shingles and chicken pox, patients with severe disease twice a day consume 800 mg.

With a moderate form of kidney failure, 800 mg are allowed up to three times a day. The interval in this case is approximately 8 hours.

An overdose of a medicine

The medication should be taken by patients strictly according to the prescription made by the doctor. In no case should you increase the dose yourself. It is very important to maintain the recommended intervals between the methods of the drug "Gerpevir" (pills). The instruction testifies that with uncontrolled use of the medicine an overdose is possible.

In this case, the patient may experience the following unpleasant symptoms:

• Vomiting, nausea;
• Kidney failure;
• dyspnea;
• diarrhea;
• Confusion;
• headache;
• Excitement;
• Hallucinations;
• lethargy;
• Convulsions;
• coma.

With such signs, the patient should be given immediate help. It is recommended to wash the stomach. Treatment is aimed at maintaining the functioning of all organs. As a rule, symptomatic therapy, hemodialysis is required.

Drug analogues

Of course, not only Gerpevir (pills) is capable of fighting viruses. The analogue (the most basic) of this medication is the drug Acyclovir. Such a drug is no less effective.

Pharmacologists have developed analogues of the drug "Gerpevir" containing the same active substance. This is the following means:

• "Zovirax";
• "Virolex".

There are also medicines that have a similar mechanism of action on the body. Such preparations are:

• "Ribavirin";
• "Valtsit";
• "Arviron."

But do not forget that you can only prescribe the medicine that suits you, only the doctor.

special instructions

All patients who use Gerpevir should monitor kidney function. For this, the level of urea nitrogen in the blood and creatinine in the plasma is periodically determined. It should be understood that the active substance of the drug - acyclovir - is excreted from the body by renal clearance. This should not be forgotten.

That is why patients with renal insufficiency should use reduced doses. This concerns, as mentioned above, and elderly patients. Because these categories of people are at risk for possible development of neurological side effects.

Such patients are recommended to be constantly monitored for undesirable reactions. However, it is known that side effects have a reversible character. As soon as the drug is stopped, unpleasant manifestations go away on their own.

Women who use Gerpevir for the treatment of genital herpes should carefully monitor the therapeutic effect. If within a week the situation does not change for the better, you should always contact the doctor.

During the use of this medication, patients should drink plenty of fluids. It is recommended that people taking the pill should temporarily stop using transportation.

Varicella should be treated within 24 hours after the onset of a characteristic rash. In this case, therapy will be much more effective.

Patient's opinions

Unfortunately, today many people carry the herpes virus. Such people periodically, especially with a decrease in immunity, face an annoying manifestation of the disease. Unpleasant sensations, unaesthetic appearance (with a rash on the lips) force patients to seek effective drugs to combat pathology.

Many people testify that, having tested a lot of various means and often disappointed in them, resort to the medicine "Gerpevir" (pills). The patients' testimonies confirm that, not particularly hoping for the effectiveness of the drug, they received long-awaited positive results.

The medicine in almost 2-3 days can completely rid of the rashes on the lips. In this case, as the consumers themselves note, the effect is greatly enhanced if the tablets are combined with another medicinal form - Herpevir ointment.

The best results from therapy can be obtained if you apply the medicine at the first sign of a beginning illness. Patients especially focus on this fact. Taking tablets at the first signs of itching and burning, you can avoid unaesthetic rashes.

However, some have experienced side effects. It should be noted that the percentage of such patients is extremely small. Among the unpleasant manifestations is the occurrence of allergic reactions in the form of rashes.