Abacavir tablets Effects, Dosage, and Side Effects abacavir sulfate; Ziagen

Ziagen is used to treat HIV-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral medications. Ziagen is only proven to work when taken in combination with other antiretroviral medications. Ziagen belongs to the class of drugs known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Special Warnings Concerning Ziagen:

If you experience signs or symptoms of a hypersensitivity reaction (severe allergic reaction) at any time while you are taking Ziagen, you must stop taking Ziagen and contact your health care provider immediately. If you have a skin rash or two or more of the following symptoms you may be having a hypersensitivity reaction:

• fever
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain
• severe tiredness, achiness, or a general ill feeling
• sore throat, cough, or shortness of breath

If you experience a hypersensitivity reaction, at any time while taking Ziagen you must never take Ziagen again. If you take Ziagen again, more severe symptoms will reappear within hours, which may include life-threatening low blood pressure and death.

A medication guide for patients comes with every Ziagen prescription. Read the medication guide carefully. In addition, your pharmacist will give you a warning card listing the symptoms of a Ziagen allergy. Carry this card with you.

Ziagen can cause a condition called lactic acidosis (accumulation of lactic acid in the body) together with an enlarged liver, which can be a serious and sometimes fatal.

If you have a history of liver problems, your health care provider will evaluate and decide if Ziagen is right for you.

General Precautions with Ziagen:

• Because resistance to the HIV virus can occur quickly with single-drug treatment, Ziagen should always be taken in combination with other antiretroviral medications. Ziagen should not be taken alone to treat HIV. If your current treatment is failing, Ziagen should not be added as a single agent.

• Ziagen is not a cure for HIV infection. At present, there are no results from studies evaluating long term suppression of HIV or disease progression. You may continue to experience illnesses associated with HIV infection, including opportunistic infections.

• You should remain under the care of a physician when using Ziagen. If you stopped taking Ziagen for reasons other than a severe allergic reaction, it is possible to begin taking Ziagen again with continued monitoring by your doctor for such a reaction.

• Ziagen has not been shown to reduce the risk of transmission to others through sexual contact or blood contamination.