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Ivermectin is an FDA-approved antiparasitic drug. Parasitic diseases in humans include river blindness, scabies, head lice, lymphatic filariasis, strongyloidiasis, and trichuriasis. Veterinarians also use this medication to treat and prevent parasites like heartworm and acarials.
Ivermectin uses different operational mechanisms that lead to the death of targeted parasites if taken orally or applied on the skin.
Compound ivermectin tablets, on the other hand, are a customized form of commercially available ivermectin. Compound medications are made by experienced pharmacists using FDA-approved active ingredients.
Uses of Ivermectin
In the pre-pandemic baseline, ivermectin use was mainly for skin conditions caused by parasitic worms like threadworm. The drug has also been used to treat patients with neglected tropical diseases.
However, in the wake of the pandemic, highly concentrated ivermectin has been used for the treatment of covid 19. While it’s still not approved by the food and drug administration to treat viral diseases, studies show that it has positive benefits in the early treatment of the disease.
Ivermectin Tablets in the Treatment of COVID 19
While the ivermectin is not FDA-approved to treat viral infectious diseases, reports from in vitro studies reveal that the drug works by inhibiting host importin alpha/beta-1 which are part of a vital intracellular transport process.
How Ivermectin Treatment Works
Viruses compromise this process and intensify the infection by ensuring the host’s antiviral response is not transmitted securely. Ivermectin has also been observed to block the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in cell structures. Some studies have also shown ivermectin to have potential anti-inflammatory properties, which are beneficial to persons with covid 19.
That said, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies showed that for ivermectin to achieve enough plasma concentrations for antiviral efficacy, doses more than 100 times those approved by the FDA for human use would be required.
Clinical Trials
Although there have been many trials and double-blind studies testing the effectiveness of ivermectin in the treatment and prevention of covid 19 progression, few have been well designed, conducted, and adequately powered.
More recent clinical trials by the united states government have addressed the inadequacies of the previous ones and are trying to find sufficient evidence that ivermectin decreases recovery time or prevents covid 19 progression.
There have been concerns that the dosage in early trials was too little and the durations were too short. Even so, the longer duration and higher dosage in recent I-TECH and TOGETHER trials did not show much clinical benefit.
Results of a randomized clinical trial and other studies are also published on federal government websites and in multiple journals. There is also information on ongoing clinical trials on the same sites.
How to Use Ivermectin
This medication should be taken by mouth with at least 8 ounces of water (one glass) on an empty stomach one hour before meals. It can be taken as a single dose or as per the doctor’s prescription.
Adverse Effects
Adverse effects of ivermectin include dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, and pruritus. If the patient is being treated for river blindness, they may also experience adverse reactions for the first few days as the parasites die.
Neurological side effects have also been reported in the use of ivermectin to treat patients with parasitic skin diseases. However, it’s unclear whether the adverse events were caused by ivermectin or underlying conditions.
You might also experience vision changes, weakness, and itching in the first 4 days, especially in high doses, such as when treating covid 19. However, it’s essential to call your doctor or pharmacist if you experience severe effects like chest pains, seizures, swelling face, and fast heartbeat.
Before Taking Ivermectin
Before taking an ivermectin prescription, tell your pharmacist or doctor your medical history, especially if you’ve had liver complications. You should also tell them if you have any allergies. Commercial ivermectin has inactive ingredients that might cause allergic reactions and other problems.
You should also share sensitive information such as your HIV status and if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Since the medication makes you dizzy, it’s advisable not to operate heavy machinery or drink alcohol while using it.
Drug-Interactions
Ivermectin interacts with many other drugs. Drug interactions can weaken the drug or increase adverse effects. Inform your doctor if you’re using medicine like benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and sodium oxybate.
Safety
The safety and efficacy of ivermectin has been tested in trials and observational cohorts. Summaries of these studies were published by the covid 19 Treatment Guidelines Panel and can be found on this federal government site.
The panel also reviewed additional studies but did not summarize them in their table as they were not informative enough.
Why Is Ivermectin Compounded?
Due to the unprecedented spread of covid 19, there has been a limited commercial supply of ivermectin. Fortunately, compound ivermectin is just as effective as commercially available ivermectin both in treating skin conditions and off-label uses, such as the treatment of covid 19.
Compound medications can be made for patients who need very specific doses of particular medication as is the case with ivermectin used to treat patients with covid 19. As seen in the trials, very high doses of ivermectin (such as those used on large animals) are required for covid 19 treatment.
Since the FDA warned that ivermectin intended for certain animal formulations should not be used to treat patients with covid 19, compounding has been the best solution to get precise ivermectin dosage for human treatment.
Try Our Compound Ivermectin at Fort Worth Pharmacy Today
Ivermectin has been vital in the treatment of parasitic and skin diseases. However, the rise of coronavirus disease has made it largely unavailable commercially.
FW pharmacy has a wealth of experience in making compounded medicine, including ivermectin. Our pharmacists follow FDA and public health guidelines when making customized drugs for patients. climicak
Contact us today to learn how compounded ivermectin can help you or your patient recover from covid 19. Give us a call on 817-361-9960 or visit our pharmacy at 7833 Oakmont Blvd STE 120 Fort Worth, TX 76132