Antiviral Drugs Flashcards
How would you administer Acyclovir for someone who presents with genital herpes (HSV-2)?
orally
How would you administer Acyclovir for someone who presents with herpes infection of face and mouth?
orally; usually reserved for immunocompromised patients
When is IV acyclovir used?
for immunosuppressed patients with chicken pox or with shingles
MOA for Acyclovir
- prodrug converted to acyclo-guanidine triphosphate (active) by thymidine kinase
- sequential phosphorylation by cellular enzymes to acyclo-GTP
- acyclo-GTP inhibits viral DNA polymerase, and is incorporated into viral DNA resulting in chain termination –> replication is blocked
Is acyclo-GTP more selective for viral or human DNA polymerases?
viral
What are 3 mechanisms of drug resistance for acyclovir?
- thymidine kinase mutation (viruses that do not activate acyclovir)
- decreased viral expression of thymidine kinase
- mutation and selection of viral DNA pol that are not inhibited as well by acyclo-GTP
What are adverse effects of topical and oral administration of acyclovir? IV?
- topical - transient burning sensation
- oral - nausea, diarrhea, HA, vertigo
- reversible kidney damage that presents with high creatine and urea levels
How can kidney damage be minimized during IV administration of acyclovir?
- slow infusion (1hour)
- adequate hydration
- avoiding co-administration with other nephrotoxic drugs
What is a contraindication for acyclovir administration?
avoiding IV co-administration with other nephrotoxic drugs
What is the active form of acyclovir?
acyclovir triphosphate
What are 2 other drugs for herpes that are prodrugs of acyclovir?
- valacyclovir
- famiciclovir
*both have better oral availability
What are topical drugs for ocular herpes?
What do they all have in common?
- ganciclovir or acyclovir
- trifluridine
- brivudine
- vidarabine
inhibit viral DNA synthesis
When would you administer vidarabine?
acute kertoconjunctivitis and recurrent keratitis caused by HSV 1 or 2
Which topical drug for ocular herpes causes edema of the eyelid in 3% of patients and is not absorbed systemically?
trifluridine
Ganciclovir is a drug for _____. Availability? Adverse effects?
cytomegalovirus
available orally and IV
granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia; should not be used during pregnancy
Ganciclovir is approved for prophylactic use in _____.
organ transplant patients
Describe the MOA of ganciclovir.
- converted to monophosphate by viral deoxyguanosine kinase (in CMV infected cells)
- cellular kinases convert to triphosphate
- ganciclovir triphosphate inhibits viral DNA polymerase (more selectively the human pol) and incorporates into the DNA resulting in chain termination —> viral replication blocked