idoxuridine ophthalmic (Herplex, Stoxil)
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Introduction
Tradenames: Herplex, Stoxil.
Indications
treatment of Herpes simplex keratitis
Dosage
- 1 drop into affected eye every hour during day & every 2 hours at night, until improvement
- then, 1 drop every 2 hours during day & every 4 hours at night
- continue for 5-7 days after healing
- recurrences are more likely to occur is treatment is not continues 3-7 days after healing appears complete
- if no response in 14 days, consider another agent
Ointment: 0.5% (4 g)
Adverse effects
- not common (1-10%)
- pruritus, follicular conjunctivitis, irritation, pain, inflammation, mild edema of the eyelids & cornea, visual haze, corneal clouding, photophobia
- uncommon (< 1%)
- small punctate defects on the corneal epithelium
Drug interactions
- boric acid-containing solutions in combination may result in formation of a precipitate
Mechanism of action
- replaces thymidine in normal viral DNA structure resulting in mutation & inhibition of viral replication
More general terms
References
- ↑ The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed. Gilman et al, eds. Permagon Press/McGraw Hill, 1996.
- ↑ Drug Information & Medication Formulary, Veterans Affairs, Central California Health Care System, 1st ed., Ravnan et al eds, 1998 - not on National VA formulary
- ↑ Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Drug Formulary, 1998