Fact Sheet Number 425
- WHAT IS ABACAVIR?
- WHO SHOULD TAKE ABACAVIR?
- WHAT ABOUT DRUG RESISTANCE?
- HOW IS ABACAVIR TAKEN?
- WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
- HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTION
- HOW DOES ABACAVIR REACT WITH OTHER
DRUGS?
|
this Fact Sheet on a single page using: |
|
|
|
|
|
More information on Downloading & Printing Fact Sheets |
|
PrintAbacavir (Ziagen®), is a drug used for antiviral therapy.
It is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. Abacavir used to be called
1592U89. The FDA approved abacavir late in 1998.
Abacavir is a type of drug called a nucleoside analog reverse
transcriptase inhibitor, or nuke. These drugs block the reverse
transcriptase enzyme. This enzyme changes HIV’s genetic material
(RNA) into the form of DNA. This has to occur before HIV’s genetic
code gets inserted into an infected cell’s own genetic codes.
ABACAVIR?
Abacavir was approved as an antiviral drug for people with HIV
infection. There are no absolute rules about when to start antiviral
drugs. You and your doctor should consider your T-cell count,
your viral load, any symptoms you are having, and your attitude
about taking HIV medications. Fact
Sheet 411 has more information about guidelines
for the use of antiviral medications.
If you take abacavir with other antiviral drugs, you can reduce
your viral load to extremely low levels, and increase your T-cell
counts. This should mean staying healthier longer.
Abacavir seems to get into the central nervous system (spinal
fluid). Therefore, it may help prevent mental problems such as
dementia.
RESISTANCE?
Many new copies of HIV are mutations. They are slightly different
from the original virus. Some mutations can keep multiplying
even when you are taking an antiviral drug. When this happens,
the drug will stop working. This is called “developing resistance”
to the drug. See Fact Sheet 414
for more information on resistance.
Sometimes, if your virus develops resistance to one drug, it
will also have resistance to other antiviral drugs. This is called
“cross-resistance”.
Resistance can develop quickly. It is very important to
take antiviral medications according to instructions, on schedule,
and not to skip or reduce doses.
Abacavir appears to work even when HIV has some resistance
to other reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
TAKEN?
Abacavir is taken by mouth as a capsule. The normal adult dose
is 300 milligrams (mg) two times a day. The capsules are 300mg,
so you will take 1 capsule at a time. Children take a liquid form.
The amount of liquid depends on the child’s body weight.
Abacavir can be taken with food, or between meals.
Abacavir is also available in Trizivir.
Trizivir contains AZT, 3TC, and abacavir. For more information,
see Fact Sheet 427 on Trizivir.
EFFECTS?
When you start any antiviral treatment, you may have temporary
side effects such as headaches, high blood pressure, or a general
sense of feeling ill. These side effects usually get better or
disappear over time. The most common side effects of abacavir
are headache, nausea and vomiting.
REACTION
About 3-5% of people who take abacavir have an allergic reaction.
This usually develops within two weeks of starting abacavir. However,
it can appear up to six weeks or more after starting. Patients
had the following symptoms:
- Fever (80% of patients)
- Rash (60-70%)
- Headache/feeling bad/no energy (60%)
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain (50%)
- Cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat (20%)
If you have a hypersensitivity reaction, the symptoms will
get worse each time you take a dose and will not go away until
you stop taking the drug. If you develop any of these symptoms
while taking abacavir, call your doctor immediately. If you have
an allergic reaction to abacavir, stop taking it and do not start
again. A few allergic patients who re-started abacavir had
life-threatening reactions.
If you ever stopped abacavir for any reason (for example,
because you ran out), talk to your doctor before you start
again. In rare cases, people who thought they weren’t allergic
had serious reactions when re-starting abacavir.
REACT WITH OTHER DRUGS?
Abacavir is intended to be used along with other antiviral drugs.
No specific interactions with other antiviral drugs have been
identified yet.
Although most reverse transcriptase inhibitors are used along
with a protease inhibitor, Abacavir has been tested in combination
with two other reverse transcriptase inhibitors. The results were
almost as good as combinations that include a protease inhibitor.
Abacavir works better if it is taken with the protease
inhibitor amprenavir.
Revised February 7, 2002
Goto InfoNet Main Page
Go toIndex of Fact Sheets
Clickhere if you have questions
New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center
and the New Mexico Department of Health