Viramune
Drug name
Viramune (Nevirapine)
Drug Uses
This drug works against the HIV virus that is responsible for causing AIDS. The medicine can also be used with other medicines in certain patients. There is no cure for HIV infections and any illness that is associated with it. If used alone the HIV virus may become resistant if used alone. This drug must be taken at least with the other anti HIV medications. If this medication stops working the doctor can change the treatment plan.
How Taken
This is an oral drug that must be taken as directed. The dose for the first 14 days is the 200 mg tablet that has to be consumed twice a day. Viramune has to be taken with at least antiretroviral that is prescribed for HIV. One should follow the dosing instructions in order to reduce the side effects that may occur for e.g. rash. If there are symptoms of rash in the first two weeks, the viramune dose is not increased till the disappearance of the rash. Re treatment has to begin if the treatment is stopped for more than 7 days as prescribed by the doctor that is the regular dose of 200 mg tablet everyday for 14 days and then one 200 mg tablet to be taken twice every day.
Drug Class and Mechanism
Viramune being an oral drug is used for treating infections with the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV. Similar to efavirenz (Sustiva) and delavirdine (Rescriptor), this medicine falls in a the category of drugs that is called reverse transcriptase inhibitors that includes zalcitabine (Hivid), zidovudine (Retrovir), didanosine (Videx), and lamivudine (Epivir). When one is affected with HIV , the virus multiplies in the body cells. The newly formed virus is released and they spread to the other parts of the body infecting the other cells. When the virus is spread the HIV must produce new DNA for each virus. Reverse transcriptase is a new virus that is used by the enzyme to produce the new DNA. Viramune blocks this and hence prevents the production of new virus. It is not like zidovudine, nevirapine and does not need to be converted into a form that is active and it also does not compete with the thymidine triphosphate compound that the HIV virus needs to produce the new DNA. The drug Viramune does not kill the virus nor is it an existing cure for HIV.
Missed Dose
In case the dose is missed one should take it as soon as possible. If it within 2 hours of the next dose one should skip the missed dose and resume the normal dose that was being taking before. One should not forget to miss doses of this drug.
Storage
It should be stored at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 to 30 degrees C) and kept away from moisture and light. One should not store the medicine in the bathroom. One should keep the medicine in a container closed tight.
Warnings Precautions
If one have certain medical conditions than it should not be used. One should consult one’s doctor before taking the medicine. If one has severe liver disease, he should tell the doctor and inform him about his medical history including the symptoms that cover Hepatitis B or C infections), severe kidney disease, and any allergies. It should be used in pregnancy when needed and its pros and cons should be adequately discussed with the doctor. One should not breast feed as the drug is passed into the breast fed milk. Viramune can cause severe and in some cases fatal skin and liver disease like Stevens-Johnson syndrome, allergic reaction. Such symptoms can occur during the first 16 weeks of therapy. They can occur in the first 6 weeks or at any time when Viramune is being taken. If one develops rash, unusual fatigue, abdominal or stomach pain, dark urine, loss of appetite, or yellowing of the skin or eyes one should see the dostor immediately. Liver functions tests should also be conducted and if one had, skin or severe liver reactions when on the drug in the past one should not restart viramune and should consult the doctor for instructions.
Possible Side Effects
There can be nausea and headaches and one should consult the doctor when they occur. The doctor should also be consulted if one has fever, blistering, mouth fever, blistering, mouth sores, pink eye (conjunctivitis), swelling, muscle/joint aches, tingling or numb hands or feet. If one gets body fat in the back and the stomach areas or deceased fat in the arms and legs than the doctor must be consulted also. The risks of taken this medicine should also be discussed. Other reactions like severe rash, itching, swelling, dizziness and trouble in breathing may occur and if these symptoms exist the doctor should be consulted.
More Information
This drug has shown no evidence of reducing the chances of the transmission of the HIV virus to others. There should be laboratory tests like the liver function test if rashes occur. They should be conducted regularly and closely monitored especially during the first 18 weeks.