Zovirax Ophthalmic Ointment

/ GSK

Adults: 1cm ribbon of ointment should be placed inside the lower conjunctival sac five times a day at approximately four hourly intervals, omitting the night time application. Treatment should continue for at least 3 days after healing is complete.
Children: As for adults
Use in the elderly: As for adults.

Herpes simplex, keratitis.

Zovirax Ophthalmic Ointment is contra-indicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to aciclovir or valaciclovir, or any of the excipients.

Patients should avoid wearing contact lenses during treatment. Pregnancy and lactation: Findings have not shown an increase in the number of birth defects amongst exposed subjects, however, the use should be considered only when the potential benefits outweigh the possibility of unknown risks. The drug does pass into breast milk following systemic administration.

Transient mild stinging immediately following application. Superficial punctate keratopathy has been recorded. This did not necessitate an early termination of therapy and healed without apparent sequelae. Local irritation and inflammation. Very rare reports of immediate hypersensitivity.
For full details see prescribing information.

Probenecid, zidovudine.

Pregnancy: A post-marketing aciclovir pregnancy registry has documented pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to any formulation of Zovirax. The registry findings have not shown an increase in the number of birth defects described amongst Zovirax exposed subjects compared with the general population, and any birth defects showed no uniqueness or consistent pattern to suggest a common cause.
Systemic administration of aciclovir in internationally accepted standard tests did not produce embryotoxic or teratogenic effects in rabbits, rats or mice. In a non-standard test in rats, foetal abnormalities were observed but only following such high subcutaneous doses that maternal toxicity was produced. The clinical relevance of these findings is uncertain.
The use of Zovirax Ophthalmic Ointment should be considered only when the potential benefits outweigh the possibility of unknown risks.
Breast-feeding: Limited human data show that the drug does pass into breast milk following systemic administration. However, the dosage received by the nursing infant following maternal use of Zovirax Ophthalmic Ointment would be insignificant.
Fertility: There is no information on the effect of aciclovir on human female fertility. In a study of 20 male patients with normal sperm count, oral aciclovir administered at doses of up to 1g per day for up to six months has been shown to have no clinically significant effect on sperm count, motility or morphology.

No untoward effects would be expected if the entire contents of the tube containing 135 mg of aciclovir were ingested orally. However, the accidental, repeated overdose of oral aciclovir, over several days, has resulted in gastrointestinal effects (nausea and vomiting) and neurological effects (headache and confusion). Aciclovir is dialysable by haemodialysis.