Can you answer the following questions about
Viramune®?
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?
Any other significant counseling points?
Viramune ® (Nevirapine) is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor
(NNRTI)
that inhibits viral replication.
The dose is titrated from 200 mg qd for 2 weeks to 200 mg bid.
Viramune ® (Nevirapine)
may be taken with or without food.
Side effects include rash, elevated transaminase levels, and
hepatitis.
Rare cases of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome have been reported with the use of
NNRTIs.
Nevirapine is metabolized by cytochrome P450 and is an inducer of
cytochrome P450 enzymes.
As with all antiretrovirals, adherence is
crucial. Non-adherence is a
frequent cause of drug failure and viral resistance, not only to nevirapine,
but to other NNRTIs as well.
