Formulary
Valganciclovir: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Valganciclovir clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Valganciclovir: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Valganciclovir clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Cytomegalovirus retinitis [induction and maintenance treatment in patients with AIDS]**
- **Adult** (By Mouth): Initially 900 mg twice daily for 21 days, then maintenance 900 mg daily, induction regimen may be repeated if retinitis progresses.
**Prevention of cytomegalovirus disease [following solid organ transplantation from a cytomegalovirus positive donor]**
- **Adult** (By Mouth): 900 mg daily for 100 days (for 100-200 days following kidney transplantation), to be started within 10 days of transplantation.
**Prevention of cytomegalovirus disease [following solid organ transplantation from a cytomegalovirus positive donor] for valganciclovir**
- **Neonate** (By mouth): (consult product literature).
- **Child** (By mouth): (consult product literature).
Cautions
History of cytopenia; potential carcinogen (including long-term carcinogenicity); potential teratogen (including long-term teratogenicity); radiotherapy
Contraindications
Abnormally low haemoglobin count (consult product literature); abnormally low neutrophil count (consult product literature); abnormally low platelet count (consult product literature)
Side effects
Common or very common Anaemia; anxiety; appetite decreased; arthralgia; asthenia; bone marrow disorders; chest pain; confusion; constipation; cough; depression; diarrhoea; dizziness; dysphagia; dyspnoea; ear pain; eye disorders; eye inflammation; eye pain; flatulence; gastrointestinal discomfort; headache; hepatic function abnormal; increased risk of infection; insomnia; leucopenia; malaise; muscle complaints; nausea; neutropenia; night sweats; pain; peripheral neuropathy; renal impairment; seizure; sensation abnormal; sepsis; skin reactions; taste altered; thinking abnormal; thrombocytopenia; vomiting; weight decreased Uncommon Alopecia; arrhythmia; deafness; haematuria; hallucination; hypotension; infertility male; oral ulceration; pancreatitis; psychotic disorder; tremor; visual impairment
Interactions
**Severe interactions:**
- Interactions of ganciclovir with other medicinal products Pharmacokinetic interactions Probenecid Probenecid given with oral ganciclovir resulted in statistically significantly decreased renal...
- There was no significant effect on ganciclovir concentrations.
**Other interactions (9):**
- Interactions of valganciclovir with other medicinal products In vivo interaction studies with valganciclovir have not been performed.
- Since valganciclovir is extensively and rapidly metabolised to ganciclovir; interactions associated with ganciclovir will be expected for valganciclovir.
- Therefore, patients taking probenecid and valganciclovir should be closely monitored for ganciclovir toxicity.
- Didanosine Didanosine plasma concentrations were found to be consistently raised when given with IV ganciclovir.
- Other antiretrovirals Cytochrome P450 isoenzymes play no role in ganciclovir pharmacokinetics.
- Pharmacodynamic interactions Imipenem-cilastatin Seizures have been reported in patients taking ganciclovir and imipenem-cilastatin concomitantly and a pharmacodynamic interaction between these two...
Pregnancy
Manufacturer advises avoid unless potential benefit outweighs risk-teratogenicity observed with ganciclovir in animal studies.
Breast feeding
Manufacturer advises avoid- ganciclovir present in milk in animal studies.
Renal impairment
Dose adjustments Manufacturer advises reduce dose if creatinine clearance less than 60 mL/minute-consult product literature. See Prescribing in renal impairment .
Medicinal forms
Solution,Tablet,Solution
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
Inside MedNext for this topic
- 411 MedNext-authored chapters
- 80,000+ MCQ bank
- 15 study modes
- Growing visual cheat sheets
Study modes
- Notes
- MCQ
- Audio
- Video
- Visual
- 3D Anatomy
- Trace
- Flashcards
- Mnemonics
- Image Bank
- Clinical
- Microscopy
- Audio QBank
- Cadaver
- Book Match
Continue reading
Subject HubPharmacology Hub
All pharmacology resources in one place.
Drug SchedulesIndian Drug Schedules
Schedule H, H1, X and G classifications.
FormularyBrowse all drugs
Search 1,850+ drug profiles.
Study Valganciclovir in the MedNext app
Challenge yourself with targeted pharmacology MCQs on this drug class. Every explanation links back to the chapter that teaches the concept.
Start drug challengeExplore the full formulary

