{"id":13748,"date":"2021-09-20T08:21:24","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T08:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/?p=13748"},"modified":"2021-11-02T10:12:36","modified_gmt":"2021-11-02T10:12:36","slug":"hepsera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/medicines\/hepsera\/","title":{"rendered":"Hepsera &#8211; Adefovir dipivoxil uses, dose and side effects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>10 mg&nbsp;tablets<br>adefovir dipivoxil<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. WHAT HEPSERA IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Hepsera is<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hepsera contains the active substance adefovir dipivoxil and<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>belongs to a group of medicines called antiviral medicines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What it is used for<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hepsera is used to treat&nbsp;chronic&nbsp;hepatitis&nbsp;B in adults, an&nbsp;infection&nbsp;caused by the&nbsp;hepatitis&nbsp;B&nbsp;virus&nbsp;(HBV).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Infection&nbsp;with the&nbsp;hepatitis&nbsp;B&nbsp;virus&nbsp;leads to liver damage.&nbsp;Hepsera reduces the amount of&nbsp;virus&nbsp;in the body and has been shown to reduce liver damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. BEFORE YOU TAKE HEPSERA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do not take Hepsera<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>If you are allergic<\/strong>&nbsp;to adefovir, adefovir dipivoxil or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).<\/li><li><strong>Tell your doctor immediately if<\/strong>&nbsp;you may be allergic to adefovir, adefovir dipivoxil or any of the other ingredients of Hepsera.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Warnings and cautions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Talk to your doctor before using Hepsera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Tell your doctor if you have had kidney disease,<\/strong>&nbsp;or if tests have shown that you have kidney problems.&nbsp;Hepsera can affect kidney function.&nbsp;The risk of this happening increases with long-term use of Hepsera.&nbsp;Your doctor should take samples to check that your kidneys and liver are working properly, before and during treatment.&nbsp;Depending on the results, your doctor may change how often you should take Hepsera.<\/li><li>If you are over 65 years old&nbsp;, your doctor can check your health condition more closely.<\/li><li><strong>Do not stop taking Hepsera<\/strong>&nbsp;without consulting your doctor.<\/li><li><strong>When you stop taking Hepsera, tell your doctor immediately<\/strong>&nbsp;if you get any new, unusual or worsening symptoms that you notice after stopping treatment.&nbsp;Some patients have had symptoms or blood test results that have shown that their&nbsp;hepatitis&nbsp;has worsened after stopping treatment with Hepsera.&nbsp;It is therefore best that your doctor checks your state of health even after stopping treatment with Hepsera.&nbsp;You may need to submit blood samples for several months after treatment.<\/li><li><strong>After starting treatment with Hepsera:<\/strong><ul><li><strong>you should be aware of any signs of lactic acidosis<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; see section 4, Possible&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;.<\/li><li><strong>Your doctor should order blood tests every three months<\/strong>&nbsp;to check your medicine is keeping your&nbsp;chronic&nbsp;infection&nbsp;with&nbsp;hepatitis&nbsp;B under control.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Be careful not to infect other people<\/strong>&nbsp;.&nbsp;Hepsera does not reduce the risk of you infecting others with HBV through sexual contact or blood transfusions.&nbsp;You must continue to take precautions to avoid this.&nbsp;There is a vaccine that protects those who are at risk of becoming infected with HBV.<\/li><li>If you are&nbsp;HIV&nbsp;-positive, this drug is not to keep your&nbsp;HIV&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;infection&nbsp;under control.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Children and young people<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Hepsera should not be used in children<\/strong>&nbsp;or adolescents under 18 years of age.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Taking other medicines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Do not take Hepsera if you are taking any other medicine containing tenofovir.<\/li><li><strong>Tell<\/strong>&nbsp;your&nbsp;<strong>doctor or pharmacist<\/strong>&nbsp;if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription and herbal remedies.<\/li><li><strong>It is especially important&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>that you tell your doctor<\/strong>&nbsp;if you are taking or have recently taken any of the following medicines that may damage your kidneys or&nbsp;interact&nbsp;with Hepsera:<ul><li>vancomycin and&nbsp;aminoglycosides&nbsp;you against bacterial&nbsp;infection&nbsp;s<\/li><li>amphotericin B, against fungal infections<\/li><li>foscarnet, cidofovir or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, against viral infections<\/li><li>pentamidine, against other types of&nbsp;infection&nbsp;er.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Taking Hepsera with food and drink<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hepsera can be taken with or without food (see section 3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pregnancy and breastfeeding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Tell your doctor immediately if you are pregnant<\/strong>&nbsp;or planning to become pregnant.&nbsp;It is not known if Hepsera is safe to use during pregnancy in humans.<\/li><li><strong>Use an effective method of contraception<\/strong>&nbsp;to avoid becoming pregnant if you are a&nbsp;pregnant&nbsp;woman taking Hepsera.<\/li><li><strong>Do not breast-feed while taking Hepsera<\/strong>&nbsp;.&nbsp;It is not known if the active substance in this medicine is excreted in human milk.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Driving and using machines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hepsera should not affect your ability to drive or use tools and machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hepsera contains lactose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are lactose intolerant, or if you have been told that you have an intolerance to some sugars, tell your doctor before taking Hepsera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hepsera contains&nbsp;sodium<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This medicine contains less than 1 mmol (23 mg)&nbsp;sodium&nbsp;per tablet, ie it is essentially &#8216;sodium-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. HOW TO TAKE HEPSERA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you.&nbsp;<\/strong>This is to make sure that your medicine gives full effect and to reduce the development of&nbsp;resistance&nbsp;to the treatment.&nbsp;Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>The recommended&nbsp;dose<\/strong>&nbsp;is one 10 mg tablet every day, which is swallowed with or without food.<\/li><li><strong>Another&nbsp;dose<\/strong>&nbsp;may be given to patients with kidney problems.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you take more Hepsera than you should<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you accidentally take too many Hepsera tablets, contact your doctor or nearest hospital immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you forget to take Hepsera or if you vomit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important that you do not miss a&nbsp;dose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>If you miss a&nbsp;dose of<\/strong>&nbsp;Hepsera, take it as soon as you can and then take the next&nbsp;dose&nbsp;at the usual time.<\/li><li><strong>If it is soon time to take<\/strong>&nbsp;your&nbsp;<strong>next&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>dose<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;,<\/strong>&nbsp;skip the missed&nbsp;dose&nbsp;.&nbsp;Wait and take the next&nbsp;dose&nbsp;at the usual time.&nbsp;Do not take a double&nbsp;doseto compensate for a forgotten tablet (two&nbsp;doses&nbsp;close to each other).<\/li><li><strong>If you vomit less than 1 hour after taking Hepsera,<\/strong>&nbsp;take a new tablet.&nbsp;You do not need to take a new tablet if you vomit more than 1 hour after taking Hepsera.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you stop using Hepsera<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you stop taking Hepsera<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Tell your doctor immediately if you get any new<\/strong>&nbsp;, unusual or worsening symptoms that you notice after stopping treatment.&nbsp;See section 2 for more information.<\/li><li><strong>Do not stop taking Hepsera<\/strong>&nbsp;without consulting your doctor.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Like all medicines, this medicine can cause&nbsp;side effects,&nbsp;although not everybody gets them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Very rare&nbsp;side effect&nbsp;s<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>(&nbsp;<\/em><em>may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people&nbsp;<\/em><em>)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Lactic acidosis is a serious but very rare side effect of taking Hepsera.&nbsp;<\/strong>Hepsera can cause too much&nbsp;lactic acid&nbsp;in the blood and enlargement of the liver.&nbsp;Lactic acidosis occurs more often in women, especially if they are very overweight.&nbsp;People with liver disease can also be at risk.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Some of the signs of lactic acidosis<\/strong>&nbsp;are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Nausea and vomiting<\/li><li>Magont<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>-&gt;&nbsp;<strong>Contact your doctor immediately<\/strong>&nbsp;if you get any of these symptoms.&nbsp;They are the same as some of Hepsera&#8217;s common&nbsp;side effects.&nbsp;If you get any of them, it&#8217;s probably not serious, but you need to check it out.&nbsp;Your doctor will check you regularly while you are taking Hepsera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Uncommon&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;are<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>(May affect up to 1 in 100 people)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Damage to the kidney (cells in the renal tubules).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;are<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>(may affect up to 1 in 10 people)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Headache<\/li><li>Nausea<\/li><li>Diarrhea<\/li><li>Indigestion, including flatulence or discomfort after meals<\/li><li>Magont<\/li><li>Kidney problems, which show up in blood tests<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Very common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;are<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>(may affect more than 1 in 10 people)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Weakness<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>-&gt; If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Side effects&nbsp;are before or after liver transplantation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some patients have experienced:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Skin rash and&nbsp;itching&nbsp;&#8211; common<\/li><li>Nausea or vomiting &#8211; common<\/li><li>Kidney failure&nbsp;&#8211; common<\/li><li>Kidney problems &#8211; very common<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>-&gt; If you have any of these concerns, ask your doctor or pharmacist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Blood tests may also show decreased phosphate levels (common) or elevated creatinine levels (very common) in the blood.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Other possible&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;are<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;have been reported (affects an unknown number of people):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Kidney failure<\/li><li>Kidney problems can lead to decreased bone hardness (which causes skeletal pain and sometimes&nbsp;fractures&nbsp;) and muscle pain or muscle weakness<\/li><li>Inflammation&nbsp;of the pancreas (&nbsp;pancreatitis&nbsp;)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Reporting of side effects<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.&nbsp;This also applies to any side effects not mentioned in this information.&nbsp;You can also report side effects directly to the Medical Products Agency.&nbsp;By reporting side effects, you can help increase drug safety information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. HOW TO STORE HEPSERA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the jar and carton after {EXP}.&nbsp;The expiration date is the last day of the specified month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not store above 30 \u00b0 C.&nbsp;Store in the original package.&nbsp;Moisture sensitive.&nbsp;Close the jar tightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste.&nbsp;Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required.&nbsp;These measures will help to protect the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. FURTHER INFORMATION<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Content declaration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>The active substance<\/strong>&nbsp;in Hepsera is adefovir dipivoxil.&nbsp;Each tablet contains 10 mg adefovir dipivoxil.<\/li><li>The other ingredients are pregelatinized&nbsp;starch&nbsp;, croscarmellose sodium,&nbsp;lactose monohydrate&nbsp;, talc and magnesium stearate.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the medicine looks like and contents of the pack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hepsera 10 mg tablets are round, white to off-white tablets.&nbsp;The tablets are imprinted with \u201cGILEAD\u201d and \u201c10\u201d on one side and a stylized contour of a liver on the other side.&nbsp;Hepsera 10 mg tablets are supplied in jars containing 30 tablets and with silica gel as desiccant.&nbsp;The desiccant is available either in a separate bag or in a small box and must not be swallowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following pack sizes are available: Outer cartons containing 1 can of 30 tablets and Outer cartons containing 90 (3 cans of 30 tablets).&nbsp;Not all pack sizes may be marketed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marketing Authorisation Holder:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Gilead Sciences Ireland UC<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Carrigtohill<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>County Cork, T45 DP77<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ireland<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Manufacturer:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Gilead Sciences Ireland UC<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>IDA Business &amp; Technology Park<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Carrigtohill<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>County Cork<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ireland<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Contact the representative of the marketing authorization holder to find out more about this medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sweden<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gilead Sciences Sweden AB<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tel: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hepsera contains the active substance adefovir dipivoxil and belongs to a group of medicines called antiviral medicines.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2200,2208],"tags":[13820,13825,13823,13824,13830,13826,13831,13829,13822,13828,13821,13827],"class_list":["post-13748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-medicines","category-h","tag-adefovir-dipivoxil","tag-adefovir-dipivoxil-side-effects","tag-adefovir-dipivoxil-tablet","tag-benefits-of-adefovir-dipivoxil","tag-benefits-of-hepsera","tag-hepsera","tag-hepsera-side-effects","tag-hepsera-tablet","tag-what-adefovir-dipivoxil-is-used-for","tag-what-hepsera-is-used-for","tag-what-is-adefovir-dipivoxil","tag-what-is-hepsera"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13748"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15294,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13748\/revisions\/15294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}