Zalcitabine (Systemic)
Brand Names : HIVID, ddC
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 zalcitabine, the
following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to zalcitabine. Also tell your health care professional
if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives,
or dyes.
Pregnancy - Zalcitabine has not been studied in pregnant women.
However, studies in animals have shown that zalcitabine 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 zalcitabine 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 - Zalcitabine can cause serious side effects in any
patient. Therefore, it is especially important that you discuss with your
child's doctor the good that this medicine may do as well as the risks of
using it. Your child must be seen frequently and your child's progress carefully
followed by the doctor while the child is taking zalcitabine.
Older adults - Zalcitabine 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.
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
zalcitabine, it is especially important that your health care professional
know if you are taking any of the following:
-
Alcohol or
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Asparaginase (e.g., Elspar) or
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Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
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Estrogens (female hormones) or
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Furosemide (e.g., Lasix) or
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Methyldopa (e.g., Aldomet) or
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Pentamidine by injection (e.g., Pentam, Pentacarinat) or
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Sulfonamides (e.g., Bactrim, Septra) or
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Sulindac (e.g., Clinoril) or
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Tetracyclines or
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Thiazide diuretics (water pills) (e.g., Diuril, Hydrodiuril) or
-
Valproic acid (e.g., Depakote) - Use of these medicines with
zalcitabine may increase the chance of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
-
Aminoglycosides by injection (amikacin [e.g., Amikin], gentamicin
[e.g., Garamycin], kanamycin [e.g., Kantrex], neomycin [e.g., Mycifradin],
netilmicin [e.g., Netromycin], streptomycin, tobramycin [e.g., Nebcin]) or
-
Amphotericin B (e.g., Fungizone) or
-
Foscarnet (e.g., Foscavir) - Use of these medicines with zalcitabine
may increase the chance of side effects
-
Antacids, aluminum- and/or magnesium-containing (e.g., Maalox, Mylanta) - Use
of antacids with zalcitabine may decrease the absorption of zalcitabine; antacids
and zalcitabine should not be taken at the same time
-
Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
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Cisplatin (e.g., Platinol) or
-
Dapsone (e.g., Avlosulfon) or
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Didanosine (e.g., Videx, ddI) or
-
Disulfiram (e.g., Antabuse) or
-
Ethionamide (e.g., Trecator-SC) or
-
Glutethimide or
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Gold (arthritis medicine) or
-
Hydralazine (e.g., Apresoline) or
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Iodoquinol (e.g., Dinquinol, Yodoxin) or
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Isoniazid (e.g., Nydrazid) or
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Metronidazole (e.g., Flagyl) or
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Phenytoin (e.g., Dilantin) or
-
Ribavirin (e.g., Virazole) or
-
Stavudine (e.g., Zerit, d4T) or
-
Vincristine (e.g., Oncovin) - Use of these medicines with zalcitabine
may increase the chance of peripheral neuropathy (tingling, burning, numbness,
or pain in your hands or feet)
-
Cimetidine (e.g., Tagamet) or
-
Probenecid (e.g., Benemid) - Use of these medicines with zalcitabine
may increase the chance of side effects of zalcitabine
-
Doxorubicin (e.g., Adriamycin or Rubex) or
-
Lamivudine (e.g., 3TC, Epivir, Heptovir) - Use of these medicines
with zalcitabine may make zalcitabine not work well
-
Nitrofurantoin (e.g., Furadantin, Macrodantin) - Use of nitrofurantoin
with zalcitabine may increase the chance of side effects, including peripheral
neuropathy (tingling, burning, numbness, or pain in your hands or feet) and
pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of zalcitabine. Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Alcohol abuse or
-
Increased amylase (or a history of ) or
-
Increased blood triglycerides (or a history of) or
-
Pancreatitis (or a history of, or at risk for)
-
Receiving nutrition in your veins - Patients with these medical
problems may be at increased risk of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
-
Abnormal liver function, or
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Alcohol abuse, history of, or
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At risk for liver disease, or
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Hepatitis, or
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Liver disease, or
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Obesity, or
-
Taking medicines called nucleosides for a long time - Zalcitabine
may make liver disease worse in patients with liver disease or a history of
alcohol abuse
-
Allergy to zalcitabine, or
-
Allergy to any part of the medicine - Serious allergic reactions
can occur
-
Bone marrow disease - Patients with this condition may develop
severe blood problems when taking zalcitabine
-
Heart problems, or
-
Congestive heart failure - Zalcitabine may make these conditions
worse.
-
Kidney disease - Patients with kidney disease may have an increased
chance of side effects
-
Low CD4 cell count - Zalcitabine may cause serious side effects
in patients with very low CD4 cell counts.
-
Peripheral neuropathy or at risk of developing peripheral neuropathy,
or
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Diabetes, or
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Low CD4 cell count, or
-
Weight loss - Zalcitabine may increase your chance of developing
neuropathy or worsening neuropathy.
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