Valtrex refers to antiviral drugs. It is designed primarily to combat herpes. The drug Valtrex has analogues, much more effective and inexpensive. But let's figure out whether it is worth paying a lot of money for this imported drug, or it makes sense to use a more familiar and, most importantly, cheap tool.
Acyclovir or Valtrex - which is better?
Valtrex is a chemical substance that, when ingested into the human body by the natural enzyme valacyclovirhydrolase, quickly turns into acyclovir. This method of treatment is much more effective, since the bioavailability of acyclovir produced directly in the patient's body is much higher than that of acyclovir taken in the form of tablets.
Accordingly, if you need a faster result and less stress on the internal organs, it makes sense to fork out for Valtrex. If the problem is not so serious, you can use Acyclovir. This drug is excreted from the body a little longer and needs a higher dosage. For comparison: in the treatment of recurrent shingles, 100 mg of Valtrex is administered once a day to a patient, or 200 mg of Acyclovir twice a day, and this is much more stress on the liver, kidneys and heart.
Compare Valtrex and Famvir
If you do not know how to replace Valtrex, ask the pharmacist what preparations are available with the same effect. Most likely, you will be offered such medicines:
- Acyclovir ;
- Gerpevir;
- Zovirax;
- Herpeal;
- Valwyr;
- Famvir.
The first three of them contain acyclovir, they can be called analogs of Valtrex according to the pharmacological index, but not according to the active substance. The last three contain components from which acyclovir, or substances similar in effect, is synthesized directly in the human body, and therefore these drugs are more effective, but also more expensive.
Famvir is converted into penciclovir. It is effective for the same diseases as Valtrex:
- chickenpox;
- genital herpes;
- herpes simplex;
- shingles ;
- ophthalmoherpes;
- infections associated with the herpes virus;
- postherpetic neuralgia;
- suppressive therapy for various types of herpes;
- Herpes therapy in people with immunodeficiency.
What is better to use - Valtrex or Famvir - depends on the individual tolerability of the drug.
What else can replace Valtrex?
It is best to choose a drug that is also based on the action of valaciclovir. There are several such analogues of Valtrex tablets, and it is unequivocal to say that it is better, Valtrex, Valaciclovir, or Valvir, not. By pharmacological measures, these drugs are identical. The only thing that can differ is the price. There are several reasons for this.
More expensive, usually new drugs, recently appeared on the market. Also, the price tag is higher for imported medicines. After all, even when the components of the drug are identical, the degree of purification of the active substance and its concentration may differ. So the more expensive tablets are not only and not so much because of the producer's greed, but because he had to spend on better raw materials, new equipment and filters. Knowing the formula of a medicine does not at all mean doing a suitable medical product.
Thus, it can be concluded that if a doctor has prescribed Acyclovir or Zovirax, then the situation is far from critical and there is no need to spend on Valtrex. If in the prescription you have this particular medicine, it means that other types of tablets are undesirable in this case. They can provoke problems with the organs responsible for the withdrawal of acyclovir from the body. Also, Valtrex is often prescribed for relapse of all types of herpes and suppressive therapy. In order to prevent new exacerbations, the drug is taken in small doses over a long period of time.