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Foscarnet Dosage

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 13, 2023.

Applies to the following strengths: 24 mg/mL

Usual Adult Dose for CMV Retinitis

Induction therapy: 90 mg/kg IV (90- to 120-minute infusion) every 12 hours or 60 mg/kg IV (minimum 1-hour infusion) every 8 hours over 2 to 3 weeks depending on clinical response
Maintenance therapy: 90 to 120 mg/kg IV (2-hour infusion) once a day

Comments:


Uses: For the treatment of CMV retinitis in patients with AIDS; in combination with ganciclovir for patients who relapse after monotherapy with either drug

US CDC, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Recommendations for HIV-infected Patients:
For sight-threatening lesions (adjacent to optic nerve or fovea):

For peripheral lesions: 60 mg/kg IV every 8 hours or 90 mg/kg IV every 12 hours for 14 to 21 days, then 90 to 120 mg/kg IV every 24 hours

Chronic maintenance therapy (secondary prophylaxis): 90 to 120 mg/kg IV once a day

Comments:

Usual Adult Dose for Herpes Simplex - Mucocutaneous/Immunocompromised Host

Induction therapy: 40 mg/kg IV (minimum 1-hour infusion) every 8 or 12 hours
Duration of therapy: 2 to 3 weeks or until healed

Use: For the treatment of acyclovir-resistant mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections in immunocompromised patients

US CDC, NIH, and IDSA recommendations for the treatment of acyclovir-resistant mucocutaneous HSV infections in HIV-infected patients: 80 to 120 mg/kg/day IV in 2 to 3 divided doses
Duration of therapy: Until clinical response

Comments:

Usual Adult Dose for CMV Gastroenteritis

US CDC, NIH, and IDSA recommendations for the treatment of CMV esophagitis or colitis in HIV-infected patients: 60 mg/kg IV every 8 hours or 90 mg/kg IV every 12 hours
Duration of therapy: 21 to 42 days or until signs/symptoms resolve

Comments:

Usual Adult Dose for Varicella-Zoster

US CDC, NIH, and IDSA recommendations for progressive outer retinal necrosis in HIV-infected patients:


Comments:

Usual Pediatric Dose for CMV Retinitis

US CDC, NIH, IDSA, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommendations for HIV-exposed and HIV-infected Children:
Induction therapy: 60 mg/kg IV every 8 hours or 90 mg/kg IV every 12 hours
Duration of therapy:


Chronic suppressive therapy/secondary prophylaxis: 90 to 120 mg/kg IV once a day

US CDC, NIH, and IDSA Recommendations for HIV-infected Adolescents:
For sight-threatening lesions (adjacent to optic nerve or fovea):

For peripheral lesions: 60 mg/kg IV every 8 hours or 90 mg/kg IV every 12 hours for 14 to 21 days, then 90 to 120 mg/kg IV every 24 hours

Chronic maintenance therapy (secondary prophylaxis): 90 to 120 mg/kg IV once a day

Comments:

Usual Pediatric Dose for Herpes Simplex - Mucocutaneous/Immunocompromised Host

Acyclovir-resistant infection:


Comments:

Usual Pediatric Dose for CMV Gastroenteritis

US CDC, NIH, and IDSA recommendations for the treatment of CMV esophagitis or colitis in HIV-infected adolescents: 60 mg/kg IV every 8 hours or 90 mg/kg IV every 12 hours
Duration of therapy: 21 to 42 days or until signs/symptoms resolve

Comments:

Usual Pediatric Dose for Varicella-Zoster

US CDC, NIH, IDSA, PIDS, and AAP Recommendations for HIV-exposed and HIV-infected Children:
Acyclovir-resistant varicella-zoster virus (VZV): 40 to 60 mg/kg IV every 8 hours
Duration of therapy: 7 days or until no new lesions appear for at least 48 hours

Progressive outer retinal necrosis:


US CDC, NIH, and IDSA Recommendations for Progressive Outer Retinal Necrosis in HIV-infected Adolescents:

Comments:

Renal Dose Adjustments

CrCl greater than 1.4 mL/min/kg:


CrCl greater than 1 to 1.4 mL/min/kg:

CrCl greater than 0.8 to 1 mL/min/kg:

CrCl greater than 0.6 to 0.8 mL/min/kg:

CrCl greater than 0.5 to 0.6 mL/min/kg:

CrCl greater than 0.4 to 0.5 mL/min/kg:

CrCl 0.4 to 0.5 mL/min/kg:

CrCl less than 0.4 mL/min/kg: Not recommended.

If CrCl falls below 0.4 mL/min/kg during therapy: This drug should be discontinued; patient should be hydrated and monitored daily until ensure that renal impairment resolved.

Comments:

Liver Dose Adjustments

Data not available

Precautions

US BOXED WARNINGS:


Safety and efficacy have not been established in patients younger than 18 years; this drug should only be used after careful evaluation and only if benefits outweigh risks.

Consult WARNINGS section for additional precautions.

Dialysis

Hemodialysis: Not recommended.

Other Comments

Administration advice:


Storage requirements:

Reconstitution/preparation techniques:

IV compatibility:

General:

Monitoring:

Patient advice:

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.