Severe Hyponatremia during Acyclovir Treatment in Shingles / 대한신경근육질환학회지

ABSTRACT

Acyclovir is effective in treating the herpes virus infection, especially chickenpox and shingles. Hyponatremia caused by acyclovir has been rarely reported. We present a shingles patient with symptomatic hyponatremia that was presumably caused by acyclovir affecting the hypothalamus or posterior pituitary gland. This case demonstrates that the serum electrolyte levels should be checked regularly and careful observation of symptoms such as nausea, convulsions, or mentality change is necessary in patients treated with acyclovir.