Aciclovir 250mg Powder for Solution for Infusion

• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have further questions, please ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

The name of your medicine is Aciclovir 250mg Powder for Solution for Infusion. In the rest of this leaflet it is called Aciclovir for Infusion (Infusion is a slow injection).

1. What Aciclovir for Infusion is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you use Aciclovir for Infusion
3. How to use Aciclovir for Infusion
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Aciclovir for Infusion
6. Contents of the pack and other information

• if you are allergic to aciclovir or valaciclovir or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).

Do not take Aciclovir for Infusion if the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before having Aciclovir for Infusion.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist or nurse before using Aciclovir for Infusion if you:

• have had severe skin reactions with aciclovir or valaciclovir
• have kidney problems
• are over 65 years of age.

If you are not sure if the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Aciclovir for Infusion. It is important that you drink plenty of water while taking Aciclovir for Infusion.

Aciclovir for Infusion can cause severe skin reactions. You must look out for certain symptoms while you are taking Aciclovir for Infusion, to reduce the risk of any problems. If you experience any signs or symptoms of severe skin reactions, stop taking Aciclovir for Infusion and contact your doctor immediately (see ‘Possible side effects’).

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines obtained without a prescription, including herbal medicines.

In particular tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• probenecid, used to treat gout
• cimetidine, used to treat stomach ulcers
• tacrolimus, ciclosporin or mycophenolate mofetil, used to stop your body rejecting transplanted organs.

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

Some side effects such as feeling drowsy or sleepy may impair your ability to concentrate and react. Make sure you are not affected before you drive or operate machinery.

Each vial contains 26mg of sodium. You should tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are on a controlled sodium diet.

You will never be expected to give yourself this medicine. It will always be given to you by a person who is trained to do so.

Before the medicine is given to you it will be diluted.

Aciclovir for Infusion will be given to you as a continuous infusion into your vein. This is where the drug is slowly given to you over a period of time.

The dose you will be given, the frequency and the duration of the dose will depend on:

• the type of infection you have
• your weight
• your age.

Your doctor may adjust the dose of Aciclovir for Infusion if:

• you have kidney problems. If you have kidney problems, it is important you receive plenty of fluids while you are being treated with Aciclovir for Infusion.

Talk to your doctor before having Aciclovir for Infusion if any of the above apply.

If you think you have been given too much Aciclovir for Infusion, talk to your doctor or nurse straight away.

If you have been given too much Aciclovir for Infusion you may:

• feel confused or agitated
• have hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there)
• have fits
• become unconscious (coma).

A doctor or a nurse will usually give you this medicine. If you think you have missed a dose, please tell your doctor or nurse.

Allergic reactions (may affect 1 in 10,000 people)

If you have an allergic reaction, stop taking Aciclovir for Injection and see a doctor straight away.

The signs may include:

• rash, itching or hives on your skin
• swelling of your face, lips, tongue or other parts of your body
• shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing
• unexplained fever (high temperature) and feeling faint, especially when standing up.

Severe skin reactions: These are very rare (these may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people) taking Aciclovir for Injection. Signs include:

• widespread red or scaly rash with blisters (that may contain pus), bumps under the skin or peeling of the skin. Flu-like symptoms with rash, fever swollen glands, and abnormal blood test results.

Contact a doctor immediately if you get these symptoms. Stop taking Aciclovir for Injection.

Other side effects include:

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

• feeling or being sick
• Itchy, hive like rash
• skin reactions after exposure to light (photosensitivity)
• itching
• swelling, redness and tenderness at the site of injection
• increase in the liver enzymes.

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• reduced number of red blood cells (anaemia)
• reduced number of white blood cells (leukopenia)
• reduced number of blood platelets (cells that help the blood to clot) (thrombocytopenia).

Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)

• headache or feeling dizzy
• diarrhoea or stomach pains
• feeling tired
• fever
• effects on some blood urine tests
• feeling weak
• feeling agitated or confused
• shaking or tremors
• hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there)
• fits
• feeling unusually sleepy or drowsy
• unsteadiness when walking and lack of coordination
• difficulty speaking
• inability to think or judge clearly
• unconsciousness (coma)
• paralysis of part or all of your body
• disturbances of behaviour, speech, and eye movements
• stiff neck and sensitivity to light
• inflammation of the liver (hepatitis)
• yellowing of your skin and whites of your eyes (jaundice)
• kidney problems where you pass little or no urine
• pain in your lower back, the kidney area of your back or just above your hip (renal pain)
• severe skin reactions, such as widespread or scaly rash with blisters (that may contain pus), bumps under the skin or peeling of skin. Flu-like symptoms with a rash, swollen glands, and abnormal blood test results. (see ‘Conditions you need to look out for’).

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme, website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for the MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

Each vial contains 250mg of the active ingredient, aciclovir (as the sodium salt), as a powder. The other ingredient is sodium hydroxide.

The white powder comes in a glass vial with a rubber cap and metal/plastic seal. It is available in packs of 1, 5 or 10 vials. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

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Product name Reference number

Aciclovir 250mg Powder for Solution for Infusion 29831/0320

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