Pharmacy First: Management of shingles

Key facts:

• Shingles is a reactivation of a previous chickenpox infection and is more likely to occur in older people
• The most common complication of shingles is post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN)
• Actively encouraging eligible patients to have the shingles vaccine is a key public health intervention
• Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with aciclovir can reduce the severity and duration of shingles
• To be most effective antivirals should be started within 72 hours of the shingles rash appearing

Contributing authors: Professor Alison Blenkinsopp and Dr Martin Duerden