Valtsik

Valcic is a drug whose action is directed to the herpes virus, a skin disease affecting any part of the body, including the lips, external genitalia, eyes, and in severe cases, the CNS. Getting into the blood and lymph of a person contact or airborne, he remains for life. To date, there are no drugs that can cure this disease, but there are drugs that suppress its manifestations and reproduction. Valtsik also belongs to them.

Indications of the valtice

In total, eight types of herpes have been identified in humans. But the indications for the use of valcic are not all of its varieties. First of all, it is aimed at treatment:

• Type 1 - herpes simplex, including the labial (on the lips), and also their relapses;
• 2nd - genital herpes;
• 3rd - shingles, manifested by bubble rashes on the skin and severe pain, chickenpox;
• The 4th - the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis;
• 6th type.

Also, the drug is used for preventive purposes:

• Prevention of infection with cytomegalovirus (type 5), which occurs after organ transplantation;
• in suppressive therapy.

The latter is common in Europe and America. It consists in prolonged use of the drug in order to avoid relapse of the disease.

[1], [2]

Release form

The form of the drug - oblong convex in a blue shell tablets (0.5 g), one side of which with an impression of "VC" and "500", the other is smooth. There are tablets that are smooth on both sides. They are packed in 10 pieces in blisters or in bottles, containing 42 pieces.   

[3]

Pharmacodynamics

The active substance of valcic is valaciclovir hydrochloride, the content of one tablet is 500 mg. Pharmacodynamics of the drug is the following: during metabolic transformations under the action of the enzyme valacyclovirhydrolase, which is produced by the liver, it becomes a medicine, its activity is directed to the cells damaged by the virus by suppressing the synthesis of their DNA. In fact, it activates a specific enzyme produced by infected cells and making them an easily recognizable target. Valaciclovir also reduces the painful manifestations of herpes zoster, acute and postherpinal neuralgia, and reduces the possibility of kidney rejection due to transplantation surgery.  

Pharmacokinetics

Getting inside, valotsiklovir well absorbed, with one gram of the substance is digested slightly more than half. The maximum concentration in the body is achieved after an hour and a half after taking and is excreted by the urinary tract, the half-life period in people with healthy kidneys is 3 hours, in case of kidney failure - 14 hours.

In HIV-infected patients, the effect on the organism of valcic is the same as in healthy people participating in the trial. In patients who underwent kidney transplantation, there was an increase in its content.

[4]

Dosing and administration

Valcic is taken orally regardless of the time of eating. The method of application and dose are determined taking into account the diagnosis, the severity of the pathological process, the age of the patient, concomitant diseases. Here are the recommended regimens for treating various types of the virus and preventing the disease, to which the doctor can make adjustments:

• Herpes zoster: 1g or 2 tablets three times a day, duration of admission - a week; it is advisable to start treatment no later than the third day after the rash;
• simple: with the primary - a pill in the morning and in the evening for 5-10 days; at relapses 3-5 days;
• Labial: 4 pills are taken twice a day with a gap of at least 6-12 hours between doses, and it is important to begin therapy as soon as possible;
• Preventive treatment (to prevent recurrence of infection): people with good immunity are prescribed 1 tablet, with immunodeficiency and HIV-2 times a day;
• kidney transplantation: children over 12 years and adults - on a tablet 4 times, the course of treatment - 3 months or more.

[5]

Use of the valtice during pregnancy

Use during pregnancy is allowed in cases where the need for the drug exceeds the possible risk of side effects. To study the effect of the medicine on the body, 749 pregnant women in the first trimester of women were involved. Congenital defects of children from mothers who underwent systemic exposure to valacyclovir did not exceed this rate of infants born to healthy women. Nevertheless, to use the drug in this category of patients, this number of tests is considered insufficient.  

Contraindications

Contraindication to the use of valcicus is hypersensitivity to its components. It is not assigned to children either. The level of safety and efficacy of this group of patients has not been established. In addition, there are many caveats for different categories of patients:

• with liver diseases, cautiously approach the increase in doses (4 mg and above);
• renal insufficiency and other violations of the body - an occasion to reduce the dose of the drug and carefully monitor the slightest changes in the patient's condition in order to stop receiving it on time;
• elderly people and patients with renal insufficiency is important during treatment to maintain the necessary level of fluid in the body. 

Side effects of the valtice

When taking valcic, side effects are possible, manifested in various organs and systems of man:

• the digestive tract: nausea, unpleasant sensations in the abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea;
• circulatory system: a decrease in leukocytes and platelets;
• CNS: dizziness, trembling of limbs, headaches, convulsions, coma;
• psyche: excessive excitability, aggressive behavior;
• immunity: allergies, urticaria;
• respiratory organs: sometimes shortness of breath;
• skin: itching and rashes:
• urinary organs: urological problems;
• liver: an increase in the parameters of liver samples.

Overdose

Overdosing of the drug causes acute renal failure and neurological syndromes: hallucinations, confusion, until its loss. Nausea may occur with vomiting. Often an overdose occurs because elderly patients and people with kidney dysfunction problems do not adjust treatment doses. If necessary, their appointment should be cautious and take into account all the factors in the history of patients.

Interactions with other drugs

There were no negative manifestations of interaction with other drugs. Adjust the dose of valcicum with simultaneous treatment with digoxin - a heart drug, antacids - reducing the acidity of the stomach, diuretics - diuretics, cimetidine (ulcers of the digestive tract) or probenecid (gout) is not necessary. Assigning increased doses of the drug, it is necessary to take into account the reception of patients with other medications with the same output routes (tubular secretion), since this fact can influence the increased concentration of acyclovir in the blood.         

[6], [7], [8]

Storage conditions

Valcic storage conditions are places to which children do not have access. The temperature regime is not higher than 25-30 °  C.

Shelf life

Shelf life of the drug - 3-4 years, (each manufacturer has its own), after its expiration the drug is not suitable for use.