Drug Database: Abacavir / Lamivudine

What is abacavir/lamivudine?What is abacavir/lamivudine?

What is abacavir/lamivudine?

Abacavir/lamivudine is a prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HIV in adults and in children who weigh at least 55 lb (25 kg). Abacavir/lamivudine is always used in combination with other HIV medicines.

Abacavir/lamivudine contains two different medicines: abacavir and lamivudine.

For more information on the use of abacavir/lamivudine in people with HIV, please refer to the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents With HIV and the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Pediatric HIV Infection.

HIV medicines cannot cure HIV, but using HIV medicines as directed by a health care provider helps people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. HIV medicines also reduce the risk of HIV transmission. If you are using HIV medicines, do not cut down on, skip, or stop using them unless your health care provider tells you to. For more information about using your HIV medicines as prescribed and ways to overcome barriers to medication adherence, please read the HIVinfo fact sheet on HIV Treatment Adherence.

What should I tell my health care provider before taking abacavir/lamivudine?What should I tell my health care provider before taking abacavir/lamivudine?

What should I tell my health care provider before taking abacavir/lamivudine?

Before taking abacavir/lamivudine, tell your health care provider:

• If you are allergic to either of the HIV medicines in abacavir/lamivudine (abacavir or lamivudine) or any other medicines.
• If you have been tested and know whether you have a particular gene variation called HLA-B*5701.
• If you have ever had liver problems, including hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) or hepatitis C virus infection (HCV).
• If you have kidney problems.
• If you have heart problems; smoke; or have diseases that increase your risk of heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
• If you have any other medical conditions.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Talk to your health care provider about the benefits and risks of taking abacavir/lamivudine during pregnancy. For more information on the use of abacavir/lamivudine during pregnancy, please refer to the Recommendations for the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs During Pregnancy and Interventions to Reduce Perinatal HIV Transmission in the United States.
• If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. For mothers with HIV in the United States, the Guideline recommends speaking with your health care provider to discuss options for feeding your baby. Mothers with suppressed viral load have a less than 1% chance of transmitting HIV to their baby via their own milk. Although most medicines are safe to use while breastfeeding, some medicines should be avoided. Always let your health care provider know about all the medicines and supplements you are using before you start breastfeeding.
• If you are using hormone-based birth control (such as injections, vaginal rings, implants, contraceptive patches, or birth control pills). For more information about using birth control and HIV medicines at the same time, view the HIVinfo HIV and Birth Control infographic.
• About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take.

How should I take abacavir/lamivudine?How should I take abacavir/lamivudine?

How should I take abacavir/lamivudine?

Abacavir/lamivudine comes in tablet form. Each tablet contains:

• 600 mg abacavir
• 300 mg lamivudine

Take abacavir/lamivudine according to your health care provider’s instructions. Do not miss a dose of abacavir/lamivudine, and do not change your dose or stop taking abacavir/lamivudine without first talking with your health care provider. While taking abacavir/lamivudine, it is important to keep all your appointments with your health care provider.

Take abacavir/lamivudine by mouth with or without food. Tell your health care provider if your child has trouble swallowing abacavir/lamivudine tablets.

Always take abacavir/lamivudine in combination with other HIV medicines.

If you have taken too much abacavir/lamivudine, contact your health care provider or local poison control center (1-800-222-1222 or online) right away, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

For more information on how to take abacavir/lamivudine, see the FDA drug label.

What should I do if I forget a dose?What should I do if I forget a dose?

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you miss a dose of abacavir/lamivudine, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. But if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and just take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose.

If you miss several doses of abacavir/lamivudine, contact your health care provider before taking it again. Taking abacavir/lamivudine again after missing doses, even for a few days, can cause a serious allergic reaction. If your health care provider tells you that you can take abacavir/lamivudine again, start taking it when you are around medical help or people who can call a health care provider if you need one.

What side effects can abacavir/lamivudine cause?What side effects can abacavir/lamivudine cause?

What side effects can abacavir/lamivudine cause?

Abacavir/lamivudine may cause side effects. Many side effects from HIV medicines, such as abacavir/lamivudine, are temporary or manageable. See the HIVinfo fact sheet on HIV Medicines and Side Effects for more information. Some side effects of abacavir/lamivudine can be serious, as described below.

Important warnings:

• Serious allergic reactions. Abacavir/lamivudine contains abacavir, an HIV medicine. People who take abacavir-containing products, including abacavir/lamivudine, may have a serious allergic reaction (hypersensitivity reaction) that can cause death. Your risk of this allergic reaction is much higher if you have a gene variation called HLA-B*5701. Your health care provider can determine with a blood test if you have this gene variation.

  If you get a symptom from two or more of the following groups while taking abacavir/lamivudine, contact your health care provider right away to find out if you should stop taking abacavir/lamivudine.

  • Group 1 Symptoms: Fever
  • Group 2 Symptoms: Rash
  • Group 3 Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach/abdominal pain
  • Group 4 Symptoms: General ill feeling (malaise), extreme tiredness, or achiness
  • Group 5 Symptoms: Shortness of breath, cough, sore throat

  Your pharmacist will give you a Warning Card with a list of these symptoms. Carry this Warning Card with you at all times.

  If you stop taking abacavir/lamivudine because of an allergic reaction, never take abacavir/lamivudine or any other medicine that contains abacavir again. If you take abacavir/lamivudine or any other abacavir-containing medicine again after you have had an allergic reaction, within hours you may get life-threatening symptoms that may include very low blood pressure or death. If you stop abacavir/lamivudine for any other reason, even for a few days, and you are not allergic to abacavir/lamivudine, talk with your health care provider before taking it again. Taking abacavir/lamivudine again can cause a serious allergic or life-threatening reaction, even if you never had an allergic reaction to abacavir/lamivudine before.

  If your health care provider tells you that you can take abacavir/lamivudine again, start taking it when you are around medical help or people who can call a health care provider if you need one.

• Worsening of hepatitis B virus infection (HBV). Your health care provider will test you for HBV before you start treatment with abacavir/lamivudine. If you have both HIV and HBV and take abacavir/lamivudine, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking abacavir/lamivudine. Do not stop taking abacavir/lamivudine without first talking with your health care provider. If you stop taking abacavir/lamivudine, you will need blood tests regularly for several months to check your liver function and monitor your HBV.
  
• Resistant hepatitis B virus. If you take abacavir/lamivudine and have both HIV and HBV, the hepatitis B virus can change (mutate) during treatment with abacavir/lamivudine and become harder to treat (resistant).

Other possible serious side effects:

• Changes in your immune system (called immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome or IRIS). IRIS is a condition that sometimes occurs when the immune system begins to recover after treatment with an HIV medicine. As the immune system gets stronger, it may have an increased response to a previously hidden infection.
• Increased risk of heart attack (myocardial infarction). Abacavir may increase the risk of a heart attack. The risk may be higher in people who smoke or have diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.
• A buildup of lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis is a serious but very uncommon occurrence. Contact your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms: unusual weakness or tiredness; unusual muscle pain; shortness of breath or fast breathing; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; cold or blue hands and feet; dizziness or lightheadedness; or fast or abnormal heartbeat.
• Severe liver problems. In rare cases, severe liver problems may occur. Contact your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms: yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice); dark-colored urine; light-colored bowel movements; loss of appetite for several days or longer; nausea or vomiting; pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach/abdominal area; or itching.

Tell your health care provider if you have any side effects that bother you or that do not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of abacavir/lamivudine. To learn more about possible side effects of abacavir/lamivudine, read the drug label or package insert or talk to your health care provider or pharmacist.

You can report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088) or online.

What medicines can interact with abacavir/lamivudine?What medicines can interact with abacavir/lamivudine?

What medicines can interact with abacavir/lamivudine?

HIV medicines may interact with other medicines and supplements. Before starting abacavir/lamivudine, tell your health care provider about all the prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Taking abacavir/lamivudine together with certain medicines or products may cause serious side effects.

For a list of medicines that may interact with abacavir/lamivudine, see the drug label or ask your health care provider or pharmacist. You can also look up potential interactions between your HIV medicines and other drugs using the HIV Drug Interaction Checker online.

How should abacavir/lamivudine be stored?How should abacavir/lamivudine be stored?

How should abacavir/lamivudine be stored?

• Store abacavir/lamivudine at room temperature, 77°F (25°C).
• Keep abacavir/lamivudine in the container that it came in and keep the container tightly closed.
• Do not use abacavir/lamivudine if the original seal over the container opening is broken or missing.
• Throw away abacavir/lamivudine that is no longer needed or expired (out of date). Follow FDA guidelines on how to safely dispose of unused medicine.
• Keep abacavir/lamivudine and all medicines out of reach of children.

Where can I find more information about abacavir/lamivudine?Where can I find more information about abacavir/lamivudine?

Where can I find more information about abacavir/lamivudine?

• For more information on the use of abacavir/lamivudine in people with HIV, please refer to the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents With HIV and the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Pediatric HIV Infection.

• This Patient Version drug summary is based on the following FDA label(s): Tablet (film coated). The Medication Guide includes information for people taking abacavir/lamivudine.

• Research studies related to abacavir/lamivudine, from ClinicalTrials.gov. (The ClinicalTrials.gov search can be modified so that you can get results that better match your interests.)
• A list of FDA-approved HIV medicines, from HIVinfo.