Covir 800 Dosage/Direction for Use

Recommended Dose: Adult: Treatment of Herpes simplex: For treatment of Herpes simplex infections, 200 mg aciclovir should be taken 5 times daily at approximately four-hourly intervals omitting the night time dose. Treatment should continue for 5 days but in severe initial infections may have to be extended.
In severely immune-compromised patients (e.g. after marrow transplant) or in patients with impaired absorption from the gut the dose can be doubled to 400 mg or, alternatively, intravenous dosing could be considered.
Dosing should begin as early as possible after the start of an infection; for recurrent episodes this should preferably be during the prodromal period or when lesions first appear.
Suppression of Herpes simplex: For suppression of Herpes simplex infections in immune-competent patients, 200 mg aciclovir should be taken four times daily at approximately six-hourly intervals.
Many patients may be conveniently managed on a regimen of 400 mg aciclovir taken twice daily at approximately twelve-hourly intervals.
Dosage titration down to 200 mg aciclovir taken thrice daily at approximately eight-hourly intervals or even twice daily at approximately twelve-hourly intervals, may prove effective.
Some patients may experience break-through infections on total daily doses of 800 mg aciclovir.
Therapy should be interrupted periodically at intervals of six to twelve months in order to observe possible changes in the natural history of the disease.
Prophylaxis of Herpes simplex: For prophylaxis of Herpes simplex infections in immune-compromised patients, 200 mg aciclovir should be taken four times daily at approximately six-hourly intervals.
In severely immune-compromised patients (e.g. after marrow transplant) or in patients with impaired absorption from the gut the dose can be doubled to 400 mg or alternatively, intravenous dosing could be considered.
The duration of prophylactic administration is determined by the duration of the period at risk.
Treatment of Varicella and Herpes zoster: For treatment of Varicella and Herpes zoster infections, 800 mg aciclovir should be taken five times daily at approximately four-hourly intervals, omitting the night time dose. Treatment should continue for seven days.
In severely immune-compromised patients (e.g. after marrow transplant) or in patients with impaired absorption from the gut, consideration should be given to intravenous dosing.
Treatment yields better results if initiated as soon as possible after onset of the rash.
Management of severely immunocompromised patients: For management of severely immunocompromised patients, 800 mg aciclovir should be taken four times daily at approximately six-hourly intervals.
In the management of bone marrow recipients this would normally be preceded by up to one month's therapy with intravenous acyclovir (see acyclovir IV for infusion prescribing information).
The duration of treatment studied in bone marrow transplant patients was 6 months (from 1 to 7 months post-transplant). In patients with advanced HIV disease, study treatment was 12 months, but it is likely that these patients would continue to benefit from a longer duration of treatment.
Infants and children: For treatment of Herpes simplex infections, and for prophylaxis of Herpes simplex infections in the immune-compromised, children aged two years and over should be given adult dosages and infants and children below the age of two years should be given half the adult dose.
For treatment of Varicella infection in children: 6 years and over: 800 mg aciclovir 4 times daily.
2-<6 years: 400 mg aciclovir 4 times daily.
Under 2 years: 200 mg aciclovir 4 times daily.
Dosing may be more accurately calculated as 20 mg acyclovir/kg bodyweight (not to exceed 800 mg) four times daily. Treatment should continue for five days.
No specific data are available on the suppression of Herpes simplex infections or the treatment of Herpes zoster infections in immune-competent children. Limit data suggest that for management of severely immunocompromised children, over two years of age, the adult dose may be given.
Elderly: The possibility of renal impairment in the elderly must be considered and the dosage should be adjusted accordingly.
Adequate hydration of elderly patients taking high oral doses of aciclovir should be maintained.
Renal impairment: Caution is advised when administering aciclovir oral formulations to patients with impaired renal function.
In the treatment and prophylaxis of Herpes simplex infections in patients with impaired renal function, the recommended oral doses will not lead to accumulation of aciclovir above levels that have been established safe by intravenous infusion. However, for patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance less than 10 mL/minute) an adjustment of dosage to 200 mg twice daily at approximately twelve-hourly intervals is recommended.
In the treatment of Varicella and Herpes zoster infections, and in the management of severely immunocompromised patients it is recommended to adjust the dosage to 800 mg twice daily, at approximately twelve-hourly intervals, for patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance less than 10 mL/minute) and to 800 mg three times daily, at intervals of approximately eight hours, for patients with moderate renal impairment (creatinine clearance in the range 10 to 25 mL/minute).
Mode of Administration: Aciclovir is administered orally. Swallow pill whole. Do not split pills. Food does not appear to affect oral absorption of aciclovir, and drug may be administered without regard to meals.