Acyclovir Dosing

When treating chickenpox in adults and children weighing more than 88 pounds, dosing guidelines call for acyclovir 800 mg, taken four times a day for five days. However, these guidelines are dependent on factors such as the person's age and the condition that is being treated. In order to ensure a successful treatment process, it's important to take your acyclovir dose according to your healthcare provider's recommendations.

Acyclovir Medication Information

An Introduction to Dosing With Acyclovir

The dose of acyclovir (Zovirax^®) your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:

Your age and weight
The medical condition being treated
Other medications you may be taking
Other medical conditions you may have.

As is always the case, do not adjust this amount unless your healthcare provider specifically tells you to do so.

Acyclovir Dose for Shingles

The recommended starting acyclovir dosage for the treatment of shingles is 800 mg five times a day (about every four hours) for 7 to 10 days.

Acyclovir Dosages for Genital Herpes

The dose of acyclovir prescribed for genital herpes depends on whether it is your first infection or you are taking the medication to prevent outbreaks.

First Infection

The recommended dose for treating an initial genital herpes infection is acyclovir 200 mg five times a day (about every four hours) for 10 days.

Later Outbreaks

For treatment of later outbreaks of genital herpes, after the first infection, the acyclovir dosage is 200 mg five times a day (about every four hours) for five days, starting at the first signs of an outbreak. The earlier the medication is started, the better it works.

(Acyclovir Dosing Continued: Page 2)