Valacyclovir Pharmacology

Valacyclovir can be used for various viral infections such as herpes virus and varicella. The primary clinical advantage of valacyclovir compared to acyclovir is that it is dosed less frequently. Valacyclovir may have some mild CYP1A2 inhibitory effect. I discuss the clinical relevance of this on this episode. GI upset can occur so I usually recommend to give it with food even though it may be given with or without food. I discuss important drug interactions on the podcast, be sure to check out my latest project which is a 200+ page book on managing drug interactions in primary care.