Stavudine (Systemic)
Brand Names : Zerit, d4T
Before Using This MedicineIn deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed
against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make.
For stavudine, the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic
reaction to stavudine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic
to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy -
Note:
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The combination of stavudine and didanosine should be used
with caution during pregnancy.
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Stavudine has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals
have shown that stavudine causes birth defects when given in very high doses.
Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant
or if you may become pregnant.
Breast-feeding - It is not known whether stavudine passes into the
breast milk. However, if your baby does not already have the AIDS virus, there
is a chance that you could pass it to your baby by breast-feeding. Talk to
your doctor first if you are thinking about breast-feeding your baby.
Children - This medicine has been tested in children from birth
through adolescence and, in effective doses, has not been shown to cause different
side effects or problems than it does in adults.
Older adults - Stavudine has not been studied specifically in older
people. Therefore, it is not known whether it causes different side effects
or problems in the elderly than it does in younger adults. Elderly patients
should be closely monitored for signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking
stavudine, it is especially important that your health care professional know
if you are taking any of the following:
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Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
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Cisplatin (e.g., Platinol) or
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Dapsone or
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Didanosine (e.g., ddI, Videx) or
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Ethambutol (e.g., Myambutol) or
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Ethionamide (e.g., Trecator-SC) or
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Hydralazine (e.g., Apresoline) or
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Isoniazid or
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Lithium (e.g., Eskalith, Lithobid) or
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Metronidazole (e.g., Flagyl) or
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Nitrofurantoin (e.g., Macrodantin) or
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Phenytoin (e.g., Dilantin) or
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Vincristine (e.g., Oncovin) or
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Zalcitabine (e.g., ddC, HIVID) - Use of these medicines with
stavudine may increase the chance of peripheral neuropathy (tingling, burning,
numbness, or pain in your hands or feet)
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Didanosine (e.g., ddI, Videx) or
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Hydroxyurea (e.g., Hydrea) - Use of these medicines with stavudine
may increase the chance of liver toxicity or pancreatitis
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Zidovudine (e.g., Retrovir) - May prevent stavudine from working
effectively; using stavudine and zidovudine at the same time is not recommended
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of stavudine. Make sure you tell your doctor if
you have any other medical problems, especially:
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Alcohol abuse, active or a history of, or
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Liver disease - Stavudine may make liver disease worse in patients
with liver disease, active alcohol abuse, or a history of alcohol abuse
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Kidney disease - Patients with kidney disease may have an increased
chance of side effects
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Peripheral neuropathy - Stavudine may make this condition worse
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