Zidovudine Famciclovir

A. Ganciclovir commonly causes myelosuppression and may produce severe neutropenia when given in combination with zidovudine. Fomivirsen is most commonly associated with iritis and other ocular information rimantadine with nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and dizziness famciclovir with headache, nausea, diarrhea, and CNS effects and zanamivir with bronchospasm. 

A 48-year-old HIV-positive man taking indinavir, zidovudine, and lamivudine developed Herpes zoster infection, which was treated with famciclovir. Postherpetic neuralgia was treated with carbamazepine, and his plasma indinavir concentration fell substantially. The carbamazepine was withdrawn after 2.5 months and 2 weeks later HIV-RNA was detectable in his plasma (6 X 10 /ml). His circulating virus was resistant to lamivudine. With a further increase in viral load, his therapy was changed to nevirapine, didanosine, and stavudine. 

The concurrent use of zidovudine and aciclovir normally appears to be uneventful, but an isolated report describes overwhelming fatigue in one patient given zidovudine and intravenous aciclovir. Famciclovir did not alter the pharmacokinetics of zidovudine or emtricitabine. 

Only minimal changes in zidovudine pharmacokinetics were seen when 12 HIV-positive patients taking zidovudine 400 mg to 1 g daily were given a single 500-mg dose of famciclovir. ... 

Rousseau F, Scott S, Pratt S, Fowles S, Sparrow P, Lascoux C, Lehner V, Sereni D. Safe coadministration of famciclovir and zidovudine. Intersci Cortf AntimicrtA Agents Chemodter (1994) 34, 83. 

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