Patient/Family Teaching

• Advise patient to take medication as directed for the full course of therapy. Take missed doses as soon as possible but not just before next dose is due; do not double doses. Acyclovir should not be used more frequently or longer than prescribed

» Advise patients that the additional use of OTC creams, lotions, and ointments may delay healing and may cause spreading of lesions

» Inform patient that acyclovir is not a cure. The virus lies dormant in the ganglia, and acyclovir will not prevent the spread of infection to others

» Advise patient that condoms should be used during sexual contact and that no sexual contact should be made while lesions are present

» Patient should consult health care professional if symptoms are not relieved after 7 days of topical therapy or if oral acyclovir does not decrease the frequency and severity of recurrences. Immunocompromised patients may require a longer time, usually 2 weeks, for crusting over of lesions

» Instruct women with genital herpes to have yearly Papanicolaou smears because they may be more likely to develop cervical cancer

• Topical: Instruct patient to apply ointment in sufficient quantity to cover all lesions every 3 hr, 6 times/day for 7 days. 0.5-in. ribbon of ointment covers approximately 4 square in. Use a finger cot or glove when applying to prevent inoculation of other areas or spread to other people. Keep affected areas clean and dry. Loose-fitting clothing should be worn to prevent irritation

» Avoid drug contact in or around eyes. Report any unexplained eye symptoms to health care professional immediately; ocular herpetic infection can lead to blindness

acyclovir is a sample topic found in Davis's Drug Guide. All other sections of this record are viewable by clicking on the index in the left column, or by clicking on "Display all Sections" in the "Content Manager".

To find other Davis's Drug Guide topics, please login or purchase a subscription.