Daily Medication Pearl: Ganciclovir Injection

Medication Pearl of the Day: Ganciclovir Injection

Indication: Ganciclovir injection is a nucleoside analogue cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA polymerase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of CMV retinitis in immunocompromised adult patients, including patients with AIDS; prevention of CMV disease in adult transplant recipients at risk for CMV disease.

Insight:

• Dosing: 5 mg/kg every 12 hours.
• Dosage forms: Injection 500 mg ganciclovir in 250 mL (2 mg per mL) solution in a single-dose bag for intravenous use.
• Adverse events: Most common adverse reactions and laboratory abnormalities reported in at least 20% of patients were fever, diarrhea, leukopenia, anemia, catheter related events (including catheter infection and catheter sepsis), and elevated creatinine levels.
• Mechanism of action: Ganciclovir is an antiviral drug with activity against CMV.

Source: GANCICLOVIR INJECTION Label (fda.gov)