ABACAVIR

The Veterans Administration prescribes ABACAVIR for symptoms related to HIV, that can be taken in TAB form.

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Abacavir Oral

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What is abacavir?

Abacavir is a prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HIV infection in adults and children 3 months of age and older. Abacavir is always used in combination with other HIV medicines.

Abacavir belongs to a class (group) of HIV drugs called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). NRTIs block an HIV enzyme called reverse transcriptase. (An enzyme is a protein that starts or increases the speed of a chemical reaction.) By blocking reverse transcriptase, NRTIs prevent HIV from multiplying and can reduce the amount of HIV in the body.

HIV medicines can’t cure HIV/AIDS, but taking a combination of HIV medicines (called an HIV regimen) every day helps people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. HIV medicines also reduce the risk of HIV transmission.

The recommended exercise with this medication is as follows:
Increase walking for at least 20 minutes a day, and try taking stairs when possible. Aqua therapy is recommended for anyone with limited mobility. Ask your primary care physician for a recommendation.

The Nutritional requirements recommended for intake of the medication is as follows:
Increase leafy greens and water intake. Abstain from processed foods and fatty foods such as excess dairy and fried foods.

If the Veteran chose to take Cannabis the following strain is recommended:Sample Cannabis Strain

Comments for ABACAVIR:

Restricted: R
(R = Yes / Blank = Not Restricted)

Clinical Guidance for VA Classification AM800:
Clinic Recommendations:
Monitoring Recommendations:
Special Handling Requirements:

Adverse Reactions and Potential Negative Side Effects:

WARNING:

Abacavir can cause serious, life-threatening side effects. These include a serious allergic reaction, lactic acidosis (buildup of lactic acid in the blood), and liver problems.

Serious Allergic Reaction (Hypersensitivity Reaction):
People who take abacavir 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, contact your health care provider right away to find out if you should stop taking abacavir.

• Group 1 Symptoms: Fever
• Group 2 Symptoms: Rash
• Group 3 Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal (stomach area) pain
• Group 4 Symptoms: General ill feeling, 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 abacavir because of an allergic reaction, never take abacavir or any other abacavir-containing medicine again. (The combination HIV medicines abacavir/lamivudine [brand name: Epzicom], abacavir/lamivudine/zidovudine [brand name: Trizivir], and abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine [brand name: Triumeq] also contain abacavir.) If you take abacavir 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 for any other reason, even for a few days, and you are not allergic to abacavir, talk with your health care provider before taking it again. Taking abacavir again can cause a serious allergic or life-threatening reaction, even if you never had an allergic reaction to it before. If your health care provider tells you that you can take abacavir again, start taking it when you are around medical help or people who can call a health care provider if you need one.

Lactic Acidosis:
Contact your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms that could be signs of lactic acidosis:

• Feeling very weak or tired
• Unusual (not normal) muscle pain
• Trouble breathing
• Stomach pain with nausea and vomiting
• Feeling cold, especially in your arms and legs
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Fast or irregular heartbeat

Liver Problems:
Contact your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms that could be signs of liver problems:

• 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
• Feeling sick to your stomach (nausea)
• Pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach area

While taking abacavir, it is important to keep all of your appointments with your health care provider.

Manufacturer Information

“Allergic drug reactions account for 5 to 10% of all adverse drug reactions. Any drug has the potential to cause an allergic reaction. Symptoms of adverse drug reactions include cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches. Skin reactions (i.e. rashes, itching) are the most common form of allergic drug reaction.
Whether allergic or not, reactions to medications can range from mild to life-threatening.
It is important to take all medications exactly as your physician prescribes. Call your doctor if you have side effects that concern you, or you suspect a drug allergy has occurred. If your symptoms are severe, seek medical help immediately.” – https://www.aaaai.org/