Acyclovir (Zovirax) Nursing Considerations
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Acyclovir Audio Lecture
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Transcript
Hey guys, let’s talk about acyclovir. Also known as Zovirax, acyclovir comes in a tablet form, which you can see here in this picture, but also in a capsule, oral suspension IV, and even a topical ointment. Okay, guys, remember that the therapeutic class is what the drug does to the body and the pharmacologic class is the actual chemical effect that the drug has. So acyclovir is an antiviral medication that helps to slow the growth of viral infections in the body. The pharmacologic class of acyclovir is it is a purine analog, which, long story short, means it blocks the replication of the viral DNA. So, guys, the action of acyclovir is that it interferes with the viral DNA synthesis, meaning it stops the spread of the virus. Acyclovir is used to treat infections that are caused by the herpes virus, like genital or oral herpes, herpes, zoster, or shingles, and varicella, also known as chickenpox. Important: acyclovir will not cure the herpes virus; it only stops the growth and treats the symptoms. So side effects aren’t super common with acyclovir, but the ones that we often see are an overall sense of malaise or fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and a headache.
So guys remember to assess your patient for renal impairment or seizure disorders because acyclovir can make these issues worse. Use caution in immunocompromised. Patients’ doses may need to be altered. Monitor the lesions to see if the treatment is working and remember to teach your patient to use protection with sexual intercourse, and to always take the full dose of the medication. Guys, I once had a patient in a clinic that was under the impression that they would be cured of general herpes after taking acyclovir. Remember to teach your patient that this medication will not cure only help the disease process. That’s it for acyclovir or Zovirax. Now go out and be your best self today and as always happy nursing.
Pharmacology
Concepts Covered:
- Concepts of Pharmacology
- Test Taking Strategies
- Prefixes
- Suffixes
- Bipolar Disorders
- Immunological Disorders
- Medication Administration
- Learning Pharmacology
- Dosage Calculations
- Noninfectious Respiratory Disorder
- Anxiety Disorders
- Substance Abuse Disorders
- Adult
- Cardiac Disorders
- Cardiovascular Disorders
- Hematologic Disorders
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Brain
- Depressive Disorders
- Disorders of Pancreas
- Liver & Gallbladder Disorders
- Upper GI Disorders
- Urinary System
- Pregnancy Risks
- Microbiology
- Infectious Respiratory Disorder
- Respiratory Disorders
- Shock
- Male Reproductive Disorders
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Personality Disorders
- Psychotic Disorders
- Nervous System
- Labor Complications
- Postpartum Complications
- Prenatal Concepts
- Newborn Care
- Musculoskeletal Trauma
- Intraoperative Nursing
- Vascular Disorders
- Disorders of the Posterior Pituitary Gland
- Oncology Disorders
- EENT Disorders
- Emergency Care of the Cardiac Patient
- Female Reproductive Disorders
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Lower GI Disorders
- Neurologic and Cognitive Disorders
- Acute & Chronic Renal Disorders
- Urinary Disorders
- Disorders of the Adrenal Gland
- Integumentary Disorders
- Neurological
- Postoperative Nursing
- Peripheral Nervous System Disorders
- Disorders of the Thyroid & Parathyroid Glands
- Cardiovascular