Basic
Informations
Ziagen is an HIV medication.
It is in a category of HIV medications called nucleoside reverse
transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Ziagen 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.
Ziagen, manufactured by ViiV Healthcare, was approved for the
treatment of HIV by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in
1998.
Ziagen is available in pharmacies as a single drug, which is always
combined with at least two other HIV drugs, or in combination
tablets: Trizivir and Epzicom. Each Trizivir tablet contains a
single dose of Ziagen, Retrovir (zidovudine), and Epivir
(lamivudine). Each Epzicom tablet contains a single dose of Ziagen
and Epivir.
Drugs
Interactions
Ziagen should not be taken at
the same time as Epzicom or Trizivir.
The protease inhibitor Aptivus (tipranavir) can decrease the amount
of Ziagen in the blood. The appropriate doses for this combination
have not been established.
Ziagen can increase the rate at which methadone, a drug often used
to help manage symptoms of heroin withdrawal, is cleared from the
body. If you are taking methadone and Ziagen at the same time, it
might be necessary to increase your methadone dose.
Side
Effects
Approximately 5 percent of
people who take Ziagen are allergic to it and can experience a
"hypersensitivity reaction." This can be serious and may require
that Ziagen therapy be stopped. A hypersensitivity reaction usually
appears during the second week of therapy, but it can take as long
as six weeks to notice any symptoms. The most common symptoms are
fever and rash, followed by headaches, stomach upset, feeling tired,
sore throat, cough, and shortness of breath. These symptoms usually
get worse over time and it is important that you report them to your
doctor immediately.
An inexpensive laboratory test is available to look for an inherited
gene, called HLA-B*5701, that has been linked to the
hypersensitivity reaction in HIV-positive people taking Ziagen.
While not all people with this gene experience an allergic reaction
while taking Ziagen, most do. In turn, if you are tested and found
to have this gene, Ziagen (or other medications containing abacavir)
should either be avoided or used with caution. If you and your
doctor are thinking about starting Ziagen or another abacavir-containing
medication for the first time, be sure to discuss this genetic test.
If your doctor tells you that you are allergic or are having a
hypersensitivity reaction, you will be told to stop the drug. If you
stop taking Ziagen because of these symptoms, you must not start the
drug again, or start any drug that contains Ziagen (e.g. Trizivir or
Epzicom). Some people who were allergic to the drug and restarted
therapy saw their symptoms return immediately and became very ill.
Lactic acidosis, which can be fatal, and severe liver problems have
been reported in people taking NRTIs including Ziagen. 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.
Some of the more common side effects include appetite loss,
headaches, feeling crummy (malaise), nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Very often, these side effects improve within a few months/weeks of
starting Ziagen.
HIV drug regimens containing NRTIs, including Ziagen, 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).
Taking medications that include Ziagen may increase the risk of a
heart attack. The reason for the increased risk associated with
Ziagen, compared with other NRTIs, has not been established. The
risk of a heart attack is highest among people living with HIV
taking Ziagen who have other cardiovascular disease (CVD) factors,
including high blood pressure, high lipids, diabetes, cigarette
smoking, family history of CVD.
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