Foscavir

Maker:
Hospira

What it does:
Treats CMV retinitis

Traditional dosage:
Initial dose of Foscavir, a liquid solution, is an intravenous infusion of 90 mg per kilogram of weight every 12 hours or 60 mg/kg every eight hours for two to three weeks, followed by a maintenance dose of 90 mg/kg to 120 mg/kg daily. Dosage should be individualized according to patients’ kidney function but should not exceed the recommended amount or frequency

Drug interactions, precautions, & recommendations:
May be used in combination with ganciclovir drugs in patients who have relapsed after treatment with either drug by itself, but no other drug should be delivered in the same infusion. Use with caution with intravenous pentamadine.

Side effects:
Most serious: impairment of kidney function, electrolyte abnormalities, seizures, anemia Other: headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever