Basic Informations
Combivir is an HIV medication.
It is in a category of HIV medicines called
nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Combivir
prevents HIV from altering the genetic material of healthy CD4
cells. This prevents the cells from producing new virus and
decreases the amount of virus in the body.
Combivir is marketed by ViiV Healthcare. It was approved by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use by people living with HIV
in 1997.
Combivir is a combination of two drugs: 300mg of Retrovir (zidovudine)
and 150mg of Epivir (lamivudine). Combivir should be prescribed by a
healthcare provider for patients who need both of these drugs. Both
of these drugs can still be purchased individually for use in
combination with other HIV drugs.
Combivir must be combined with at least one other HIV drug, usually
a protease inhibitor (PI) or a
non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase
inhibitor (NNRTI).
Drugs Interactions
Combivir should not be taken
at the same time as Emtriva or Truvada (containing Viread and
Emtriva). This is because the Epivir in Combivir is very similar to
Emtriva, and it is not believed that combining these two HIV drugs
will make a regimen any more effective against the virus. Similarly,
Combivir should not be taken at the same time as Retrovir, Epivir,
Epzicom (containing Ziagen and Epivir) or Trizivir (containing
Ziagen, Epivir and Retrovir).
Retrovir can interact with
some medications used to treat TB, MAC and other bacterial
infections. Rifadin (rifampin) and Mycobutin (rifabutin) can lower
levels of Retrovir in the bloodstream, which can cause the drug to
be less effective against HIV. If you need to take Rifadin or
Mycobutin, it might be necessary to switch your Retrovir for another
nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) that does not
interact with these drugs.
Other drug interactions might
be possible. However, it is believed that Epivir can be safely taken
at the same time as most drugs used to treat HIV and AIDS-related
complications.
Side Effects
Bone marrow problems, such as
decreased production of red blood cells and/or white blood cells,
can occur in people talking Retrovir, one of the two active drugs in
Combivir. Contact your doctor immediately if you develop unusual
fatigue, pale skin, sore throat, fever, or chills, which may be
signs of bone marrow problems.
A rare but potentially serious side effect of Retrovir, one of the
two drugs in Combivir, is myopathy (damage to the muscles, including
the heart). People who use Retrovir for a long period of time,
meaning several years, are at the greatest risk for myopathy.
General symptoms of myopathy include weakness of limbs, usually
proximal (located close to the center of the body).
Lactic acidosis, which can be fatal, and severe liver problems have
been reported in people taking nucleoside reverse transcriptase
inhibitors (NRTIs), including Retrovir and Epivir, the two active
drugs in Combivir. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience
nausea, vomiting, or unusual or unexpected stomach discomfort;
weakness and tiredness; shortness of breath; weakness in the arms
and legs; yellowing of the skin or eyes; or pain in the upper
stomach area.
HIV drug regimens containing nucleoside reverse transcriptase
inhibitors (NRTIs), including Combivir, can cause increased fat
levels (cholesterol and triglycerides) in the blood, abnormal
body-shape changes (lipodystrophy; including increased fat around
the abdomen, breasts, and back of the neck, as well as decreased fat
in the face, arms, and legs), and diabetes. These side effects of
HIV drug therapy are reviewed in our lessons on Lipodystrophy,
Facial Lipoatrophy, and Risks To Your Heart (Hyperlipidemia).
If you have hepatitis B and HIV and plan to stop taking Combivir,
your doctor might want to frequently check your liver enzymes after
stopping treatment. This is because the Epivir in Combivir is also
active against the hepatitis B virus (HBV). If Epivir is stopped
abruptly, it can cause liver disease to "flare" and damage the
liver.
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