Drug Database: Nevirapine

What is nevirapine?What is nevirapine?

What is nevirapine?

Nevirapine is a prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HIV infection in adults and children. Nevirapine comes in three different forms: immediate-release tablets, oral suspension (a liquid), and extended-release tablets. The immediate-release tablet and liquid forms of nevirapine are approved for use in adults and children. The extended-release tablets are approved for use in adults and in children 6 years of age and older who meet certain height and weight requirements. Nevirapine is always used in combination with other HIV medicines.

For more information on the use of nevirapine 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.

Nevirapine may also be used to prevent mother-to-child transmission (perinatal transmission) of HIV. When used to prevent mother-to-child transmission, nevirapine may be given to infants after birth.

For more information on the use of nevirapine to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, please refer to the Recommendations for the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs During Pregnancy and Interventions to Reduce Perinatal HIV Transmission in the United States.

HIV medicines cannot cure HIV/AIDS, but taking HIV medicines every day helps people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. HIV medicines also reduce the risk of HIV transmission. If you are taking HIV medicines, do not cut down on, skip, or stop taking them unless your health care provider tells you to.

What should I tell my health care provider before taking nevirapine?What should I tell my health care provider before taking nevirapine?

What should I tell my health care provider before taking nevirapine?

Before taking nevirapine, tell your health care provider:

• If you are allergic to nevirapine or any other medicines.
• If you have ever had hepatitis or other liver problems.
• If you are receiving dialysis.
• If you have trouble swallowing pills.
• If you have any other medical conditions.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of taking nevirapine during pregnancy. For more information on the use of nevirapine 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 breast/chestfeeding or plan to breast/chestfeed. For people with HIV in the United States, the Guideline recommends speaking with your health care provider to discuss options for feeding your baby. People with suppressed viral load have a less than 1% chance of transmitting HIV to their baby via their own milk.
• If you are using hormone-based birth control (such as pills, implants, or vaginal rings). Your health care provider can help you decide how to adjust your birth control while you are taking nevirapine. 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, especially St. John's wort, you are taking or plan to take. Nevirapine may affect the way other medicines or products work, and other medicines or products may affect how nevirapine works. Taking nevirapine together with certain medicines or products may cause serious side effects.

How should I take nevirapine?How should I take nevirapine?

How should I take nevirapine?

Nevirapine comes in the following forms and strengths:

• 200-mg immediate-release tablets
• 400-mg extended-release tablets
• 50-mg/5 mL oral suspension

Take nevirapine according to your health care provider’s instructions. Do not miss a dose of nevirapine, and do not change your dose or stop taking nevirapine without first talking with your health care provider.

To reduce the risk of getting a serious skin rash, only one dose of immediate-release nevirapine (tablet or oral suspension) is given each day for the first 14 days of treatment. If you do not have any reactions to nevirapine during the 14-day lead-in period, follow your health care provider’s instructions for increasing your dose to 2 times a day or switching to extended-release nevirapine. If you get a skin rash during the 14-day lead-in period, call your health care provider right away. Do not increase your nevirapine dose to two times a day or switch to taking nevirapine extended-release tablets if you have a rash.

Take nevirapine with or without food.

Never take more than one form of nevirapine at the same time.

The extended-release tablets should be swallowed whole and should not be chewed, crushed, or divided.

Nevirapine oral suspension is a liquid. Shake it gently before each use, and use an oral dosing syringe or dosing cup to measure the right dose. If the dose is less than one teaspoon (5 mL), use a syringe to measure the dose. (Ask your pharmacist for a syringe or dosing cup if you do not have one.) After drinking the medicine, fill the dosing cup with water and drink it to make sure you get all the medicine.

Always take nevirapine in combination with other HIV medicines.

If you have taken too much nevirapine, 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 nevirapine, see the FDA drug labels for nevirapine immediate-release tablets, nevirapine extended-release tablets, and nevirapine oral suspension.

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 nevirapine, 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 stop taking nevirapine for more than 7 days, ask your health care provider how much to take before you start taking it again. You may need to begin nevirapine treatment again with a lead-in dose period.

What side effects can nevirapine cause?What side effects can nevirapine cause?

What side effects can nevirapine cause?

Nevirapine may cause side effects. Some side effects of nevirapine can be serious as noted above. Many side effects from HIV medicines, such as nausea or occasional dizziness, are manageable. See the HIVinfo fact sheet on HIV Medicines and Side Effects for more information.

Other possible side effects of nevirapine include:

• 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.
• Changes in body fat (lipodystrophy syndrome).

Tell your health care provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of nevirapine. To learn more about possible side effects of nevirapine, read the drug labels or package inserts for nevirapine immediate-release tablets, nevirapine extended-release tablets, and nevirapine oral suspension 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.

How should nevirapine be stored?How should nevirapine be stored?

How should nevirapine be stored?

• Store nevirapine immediate-release tablets, extended-release tablets, and oral suspension at room temperature, 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
• Keep nevirapine in the container that it came in and keep the container tightly closed.
• Do not use nevirapine if the original seal over the container opening is broken or missing.
• Throw away nevirapine that is no longer needed or expired (out of date). Follow FDA guidelines on how to safely dispose of unused medicine.
• Keep nevirapine and all medicines out of reach of children.

Where can I find more information about nevirapine?Where can I find more information about nevirapine?

Where can I find more information about nevirapine?

• For more information on the use of nevirapine 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.
• For more information on the use of nevirapine to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, please refer to the Recommendations for the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs During Pregnancy and Interventions to Reduce Perinatal HIV Transmission in the United States.
• This Patient Version drug summary is based on the following FDA label(s): Tablet; Tablet (extended release); Suspension. The Medication Guide includes information for people taking nevirapine.
• The American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) Patient Medication Information for nevirapine available from MedlinePlus.
• Nevirapine-related research studies, 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.