Can you answer the following questions about Epivir®?
What is the generic name? Any abbreviations?
What "class" antiretroviral is it and how does it work?
With food, without food or food doesn't matter?
Any side effects?
Any possible drug interactions?
What is a typical dose?
Do any other drugs contain Epivir ®?
Name them.
Any other significant counseling points?
Epivir ® (Lamivudine) is a
nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) that inhibits viral
replication.
Epivir ® (Lamivudine) can be
dosed 150 mg bid alone or as Combivir (lamivudine 150 mg/zidovudine
300 mg) 1 tab bid. Since Trizivir®
contains Lamivudine as one of its three components, Trizivir® may be an alternative dosing option.
Epivir ® (Lamivudine) may be
taken with or without food.
Side effects of Epivir
®
(Lamivudine)
are minimal.
Lactic acidosis with
hepatic steatosis is a rare but potentially fatal toxicity associated
with the use of NRTIs.
As with all antiretrovirals, adherence is
crucial.
Non-adherence is a frequent cause of drug failure and viral
resistance, not only to lamivudine, but to other NRTIs as well.
