Abacavir (Systemic)
Brand Names : Ziagen
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 abacavir, the following
should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to abacavir. This medicine should not
be taken if you have ever had an allergic reaction to it, because it could
cause another severe reaction that may result in death.
Also tell your
health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such
as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy - Abacavir has not been studied in pregnant women.
However, it has been found to cause birth defects and other problems in animals
at doses many times the human dose. 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 abacavir passes into breast
milk. However, because of the possibility that this medicine could cause unwanted
effects in nursing babies and the risk of passing HIV on to the infant, breast-feeding
is usually not recommended.
Children - This medicine has been tested in children 3 months
of age and older and, in effective doses, has not been shown to cause different
side effects or problems than it does in adults.
Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically
in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly
the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects
or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use
of abacavir in the elderly with use in other age groups.
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. Tell your health care
professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter
[OTC]) medicine.
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