Valganciclovir Drug: Indication, Dosage, Precaution, Side Effect , Storage, Category Type and corresponding Brands - www.genericdrugscan.com

Valganciclovir

pronunciation

pronounced as (val gan sye' kloh veer)

Why is this medication prescribed?

Valganciclovir is used to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis (eye infection that can cause blindness) in people who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Valganciclovir is also used to prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in people who have received a heart, kidney, or kidney-pancreas transplant and who have a chance of getting CMV disease. Valganciclovir is in a class of medications called antivirals. It works by preventing the spread of CMV disease or slowing the growth of CMV.

How should this medicine be used?

Valganciclovir comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken with food once or twice a day. To help you remember to take valganciclovir, take it around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take valganciclovir exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

If you used to take ganciclovir (Cytovene), your doctor may have prescribed valganciclovir for you to take instead. Valganciclovir changes into ganciclovir in your body. However, valganciclovir tablets contain a different amount of medication and are taken differently than ganciclovir capsules. Do not take the same number of valganciclovir tablets at the same times that you used to take ganciclovir capsules Take valganciclovir according to the directions you were given by your doctor. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about taking valganciclovir.

Swallow the tablets whole; do not split, chew, break or crush them.

Be careful when handling valganciclovir tablets. Do not allow your skin, eyes, mouth, or nose to come into contact with broken or crushed valganciclovir tablets. If such contact occurs, wash your skin well with soap and water or rinse your eyes well with plain water.

Your doctor may start you on a high dose of valganciclovir and decrease your dose after several weeks. Valganciclovir does not cure CMV retinitis. You may develop CMV retinitis or your symptoms may get worse while you are taking valganciclovir. However, valganciclovir may prevent blindness caused by CMV retinitis. It is important that you see your doctor regularly and continue to take valganciclovir for as long as your doctor tells you that you should. Do not stop taking valganciclovir without talking to your doctor and try not to miss any doses. If you stop taking valganciclovir even for a short time, your condition may become worse and may be more difficult to treat.

What are the precautions to be followed?

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to valganciclovir, acyclovir (Zovirax), ganciclovir (Cytovene or Cytovene-IV), or any other medications.
• do not take ganciclovir (Cytovene, Cytovene-IV) while you are taking valganciclovir.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. Be sure to mention the medications listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section and any of the following: aminoglycoside antibiotics such as amikacin (Amikin), gentamicin (Garamycin), neomycin (Neo-Rx, Neo-Fradin), netilmycin (Netromycin), streptomycin, tobramycin (Nebcin, Tobi), and others; amphotericin B (Fungizone); captopril (Capoten, in Capozide); diuretics ('water pills'); foscarnet (Foscavir); gold compounds such as auranofin (Ridaura) or aurothioglucose (Solganal); imipenem-cilastatin (Primaxin); immune globulin (gamma globulin, IGIV, BayGam, Carimmune, Gammagard, others): methicillin (Staphcillin); muromonab-CD3 (OKT3); mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept); nitrates such as isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil, Sorbitrate) or nitroglycerin products; penicillamine (Cuprimine, Depen); primaquine; probenecid; rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); or other nucleoside analogues such as acyclovir (Zovirax), famciclovir (Famvir), and ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol, Virazole, in Rebetron). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had the conditions mentioned in the IMPORTANT WARNING section or any of the following conditions: seizures; an eye problem other than CMV retinitis; high blood pressure; higher than normal calcium in your blood; kidney, or liver disease; or if you are being treated with hemodialysis (a special machine that removes waste products from blood).
• tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You should not breastfeed while taking valganciclovir. Talk to your doctor about when you may safely begin breastfeeding after you stop taking valganciclovir.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking valganciclovir.
• you should know that valganciclovir may make you drowsy, dizzy, unsteady, confused, less alert, or cause seizures. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.

What are possible side effects of this medication ?

• diarrhea
• upset stomach
• vomiting
• stomach pain
• loss of appetite
• thirst
• constipation
• headache
• back pain
• leg swelling
• trouble walking

• seeing specks, flashes of light, or a dark curtain over everything
• decreased urination
• swelling of the hands, arms, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• hives
• rash
• itching
• yellowing of the skin or eyes
• shaking hands that you cannot control
• numbness, pain, burning, or tingling in the hands or feet
• seizures

Valganciclovir may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

How to store the medication and dispose it of after its use later?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program.

Drug Category/Class

• Antiviral Agents
• Nucleosides and Nucleotides Excl. Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
• Direct Acting Antivirals
• Antivirals for Systemic Use
• Antiinfectives for Systemic Use
• Nucleosides and nucleotides excl. reverse transcriptase inhibitors

Prescribed	Valganciclovir is an antiviral medication used for the treatment of cytomegalovirus infections.
Weight :	354.3617
Structure	Valganciclovir
Formula	C14H22N6O5

Valganciclovir has 1 Brands listed

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