600 mg / 300 mg film-coated tablets
abacavir / lamivudine
What Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva is and what it is used for
Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva used to treat HIV – infection ( infection with human immunodeficiency virus) in adults, adolescents, and children weighing at least 25 kg.
Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva contains two active substances that are used to treat HIV infection: abacavir and lamivudine. These substances belong to a group of antiretroviral drugs called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).
Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva does not cure HIV – infection completely. It reduces the number of viruses in the body and keeps it at a low level. It also increases the number of CD4 cells in the blood. CD4 cells are a type of white blood cell that is important for the body to fight infections.
Not all patients respond to Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva in the same way. Your doctor will check the treatment effect you are getting.
Abacavir and lamivudine contained in Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva may also be approved for the treatment of other conditions not mentioned in this product information. Ask your doctor, pharmacist, or another healthcare professional if you have any further questions, and always follow their instructions.
What you need to know before you take Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva
Do not take Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva:
- if you are allergic to abacavir (or to any other medicine containing abacavir) or lamivudine or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). Be sure to read all the information about hypersensitivity reactions in Section 4.
Check with your doctor if you think this applies to you. Do not take Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva.
Warnings and cautions
Some patients taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva or other combination therapies for HIV are at greater risk for serious side effects. You need to be aware of the extra risks:
- if you have moderate or severe liver disease
- if you have a history of liver disease, including hepatitis B or hepatitis C (if you have hepatitis B infection, do not stop taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva without consulting your doctor as your hepatitis may return)
- if you are severely overweight (especially if you are a woman)
- if you have any kidney disease
Talk to your doctor before taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva if any of these apply to you. You may need extra checks, including blood tests, while you are taking medication. See section 4 for more information.
Hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir
Even patients who do not have the HLA-B * 5701 gene may develop a hypersensitivity reaction (severe allergic reaction ).
Be sure to read all the information about hypersensitivity reactions in section 4 of this leaflet.
Risk of heart attack
It cannot be ruled out that abacavir may increase the risk of myocardial infarction.
Tell your doctor if you have heart problems, if you smoke or if you have other diseases that may increase the risk of heart diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Do not stop taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva unless your doctor tells you to.
Pay attention to important symptoms
Some patients who use drugs against HIV – infection develop other conditions, which can be serious. You need to know important signs and symptoms to notice while taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva.
Read the information “Other possible side effects of combination therapy for HIV” in section 4 of this leaflet.
Protect other people
HIV – infection is spread by sexual contact with someone with infection one or by infected blood (eg. Ex. By sharing needles). You can still transmit HIV infection when you take this medicine, even though the risk of effective antiviral therapy is reduced. Discuss with your doctor the necessary steps to avoid infecting others.
Other medicines and Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription, herbal medicines, herbal medicines, or other natural products.
Remember to tell your doctor or pharmacist if you start taking a new medicine while taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva
These medicines should not be taken with Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva:
- emtricitabine, to treat HIV – infection
- other drugs containing lamivudine, for treatment of HIV – infection or hepatitis B infection
- high doses of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic
- cladribine, which is used to treat hairy cell leukemia.
Tell your doctor if you are being treated with any of these medicines.
Some medicines affect or are affected by Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva
These include:
- phenytoin, for the treatment of epilepsy. Tell your doctor if you are taking phenytoin. Your doctor may need to check you while you are taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva.
- methadone is used as a heroin substitute. Abacavir increases the rate at which methadone is eliminated from the body. If you are taking methadone, you will be checked for withdrawal symptoms. Your methadone dose may need to be changed. Tell your doctor if you are taking methadone.
- medicines (usual liquids) containing sorbitol and other sugar alcohols (such as xylitol, mannitol, lactitol, and maltitol), if taken regularly. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are being treated with any of these medicines.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility
Pregnancy
Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva and similar medicines can cause side effects in the unborn baby. If you have taken Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva during your pregnancy, your doctor may ask you to have regular blood tests and other diagnostic tests to check your baby’s development. For children with a mother who has taken NRTIs during pregnancy, the benefit of HIV protection outweighs the risk of side effects.
Breast-feeding
Women who are HIV- positive should not breast-feed because HIV – infection can be transmitted to the baby through breast milk. A small amount of the ingredients in Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva may also pass into breast milk.
If you are breast-feeding or considering breastfeeding:
Talk to your doctor immediately.
Driving and using machines
Abacavir / Lamuvidin Teva may cause side effects that may affect your ability to drive or use machines. Talk to your doctor about your ability to drive or use machines while taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva.
You are responsible for assessing whether you are fit to drive a motor vehicle or perform work that requires sharpened attention. One of the factors that can affect your ability in these respects is the use of drugs due to their effects and/or side effects. Descriptions of these effects and side effects can be found in other sections. Read all the information in this leaflet for guidance. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva contains sodium
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol (23 mg) sodium per tablet, ie essentially ‘sodium-free’.
How to take Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure.
The recommended dose of Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva for adults, adolescents, and children weighing at least 25 kg is one tablet once a day.
Swallow the tablets whole with a little water. Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva can be taken with or without food.
Keep in regular contact with your doctor
Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva helps keep your disease under control. You must take it every day to prevent the disease from getting worse. You may still develop other infections you or illnesses associated with HIV – infection.
Keep in touch with your doctor and do not stop taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva without your doctor’s advice.
If you forget to take Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Then continue with the treatment as before. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
It is important that you take Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva regularly, as irregular intake may increase the risk of hypersensitivity reactions.
If you have stopped taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva
If for any reason you have stopped taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva – then you think you may have had side effects or due to another illness:
Talk to your doctor before taking the medicine again. Your doctor will check if your symptoms were related to a hypersensitivity reaction. If your doctor thinks there is a connection, you will be asked never to take Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva or other medicines containing abacavir again. It is important that you follow this advice.
If your doctor advises you to start taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva again, you may be asked to take the first dose in a place where you have access to medical care if needed.
4. Possible side effects
During HIV treatment, weight gain and increased levels of lipids and glucose in the blood may occur. This is partly related to restored health and lifestyle, but when it comes to blood lipids, there can sometimes be a connection with HIV drugs. Your doctor will perform tests to find such changes
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
In the treatment of an HIV – infection, it is not always possible to tell whether a symptom of drug side effects caused by Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva or by other medicines taken at the same time. For this reason, it is very important that you talk to your doctor about any changes in your state of health.
| Hypersensitivity sAbacavir / Lamivudine Teva contains abacavir . Abacavir can cause a severe allergic reaction , a so-called hypersensitivity reaction . These hypersensitivity reactions have been seen more frequently in people taking abacavir-containing medicines. Who can get these reactions?Anyone taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva may develop a hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir, which may be life-threatening if they continue to take Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva. You are more likely to develop this reaction if you have a gene called HLA-B * 5701 (but you can get a reaction even if you do not have this gene). You should have been tested for this gene before you were prescribed Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva. If you know that you carry this gene, talk to your doctor before taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva. About 3-4 out of every 100 patients treated with abacavir in a clinical study who did not carry the HLA-B * 5701 gene developed a hypersensitivity reaction . What are the symptoms?The most common symptoms are:fever (high temperature) and rash .Other common symptoms are:nausea , vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, pronounced fatigue.Other symptoms are:Joint or muscle pain, swollen throat, shortness of breath, sore throat, cough, temporary headache, eye inflammation ( conjunctivitis ), cold sores, low blood pressure , tingling or numbness in the hands or feet. When do these symptoms occur?Hypersensitivity reactions may occur at any time during treatment with Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva, but more likely during the first six weeks of treatment. Contact your doctor immediately:1. if you get a rash, OR2. if you get symptoms from at least 2 of the following groups:fevershortness of breath, sore throat or coughnausea or vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal painpronounced fatigue or pain or general malaise.Your doctor may advise you to stop taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva . If you have stopped taking Abacavir / Lamivudine TevaIf you have stopped taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva due to a hypersensitivity reaction , you should NEVER take Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva, or any other medicine containing abacavir, again . If you do, you could get a dangerous drop in blood pressure within a few hours, which could result in death. If you have stopped taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva for any reason – especially when you think you may have had side effects or due to another illness:Talk to your doctor before taking the medicine again . Your doctor will check if your symptoms were related to a hypersensitivity reaction . If your doctor thinks there is a connection, you will be asked never to take Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva or other medicines containing abacavir again . It is important that you follow this advice. Occasionally, hypersensitivity reactions have developed in patients who start taking abacavir again and who had only one of the symptoms listed on the warning card before stopping taking the medicine. In very rare cases, hypersensitivity reactions have developed in patients who start taking abacavir again but have no symptoms before stopping the medicine. If your doctor advises you to start taking Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva again, you may be asked to take the first dose in a place where you have access to medical care if needed.If you are hypersensitive to Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva, return all unused Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva tablets for safe destruction. Consult your doctor or pharmacist. Packages with Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva contains a warning cards to remind you and medical staff about hypersensitivity reaction you . Remove the card from the packaging and always carry it with you. |
Common side effects are
These can occur in up to 1 in 10 users:
- hypersensitivity reaction
- headache
- vomiting
- nausea
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- fatigue, weakness
- fever (high temperature)
- the general (general) feeling of illness
- difficulty sleeping ( insomnia )
- muscle pain and discomfort
- joint pain
- cough
- irritated or runny nose
- rash
- hair loss.
Uncommon side effects are
These can occur in up to 1 in 100 users and they can be detected in blood tests:
- low red blood cell count ( anemia ) or low white blood cell count ( neutropenia )
- increase in liver enzyme levels
- reduction in the number of blood cells involved in blood coagulation ( thrombocytopenia ).
Rare side effects are
These can occur in up to 1 in 1,000 users:
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing and/or swallowing, hives ( angioedema )
- liver diseases, such as jaundice, enlarged liver or fatty liver, inflammation ( hepatitis )
- inflammation of the pancreas ( pancreatitis )
- degradation of muscle tissue.
Rare side effects that can be detected in blood tests are:
- increase in an enzyme called amylase.
Very rare side effect s
These can occur in up to 1 in 10,000 users:
- numbness and tingling in the skin
- the feeling of weakness in arms and legs
- skin rash, which can become blisters and look like small targets (dark spot in the middle surrounded by a lighter field and a dark ring along the edge) ( erythema multiforme )
- scattered skin rashes with blisters and flaking skin occur especially around the mouth, nose, eyes, and genitals ( Stevens-Johnson syndrome ), and a more severe form that causes skin flaking on more than 30% of the body surface ( toxic epidermal necrolysis ).
- lactic acidosis (excess lactic acid in the blood)
If you notice any of these symptoms, contact a doctor immediately.
Very rare side effects that can be detected in blood tests are:
- failure of the bone marrow’s ability to form new red blood cells ( erythroblastopenia ).
If you get side effects ar
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if any of these side effects gets serious or bothersome, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet.
Other possible side effects are with combination therapy for HIV
Combination therapy such as Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva may cause other conditions to develop during HIV treatment.
Symptoms of infection and inflammation
Old infection can flare up
Patients with advanced HIV – infection ( AIDS ) have weak immune systems and are more likely to develop a serious infection ( opportunistic infection s ). Such infections may have been “silent” and not detected by the weak immune system before starting treatment. When treatment is started, the immune system becomes stronger and can fight the infections, which can cause symptoms of infection or inflammation. Symptoms usually include fever and any of the following:
- headache
- gripe
- breathing difficulties
In rare cases, when the immune system becomes stronger, it can also attack healthy body tissue ( autoimmune diseases ). The symptoms of autoimmune diseases may develop several months after you start taking medicines for your HIV – infection. Symptoms may include:
- palpitations (rapid or irregular heartbeat) or tremors
- hyperactivity (excessive restlessness and excessive movement)
- weakness that begins in the hands and feet and moves upwards towards the torso.
If you get symptoms of an infection and inflammation or if you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above:
Talk to your doctor immediately. Do not take any other anti-infective medication without consulting your doctor.
You may have a skeletal problem
Some patients treated with combination therapy for HIV develop a condition called osteonecrosis. In this condition, parts of the bone tissue die due to reduced blood supply. Patients may be at greater risk of getting this condition:
- if they have been treated with combination therapy for a long time
- if they are also taking anti-inflammatory medicines called corticosteroids s
- if they drink alcohol
- if their immune system is very weak
- if they are overweight.
Characteristics of osteonecrosis include :
- stiffness in the joints
- aches and pains (especially in the hips, knees, or shoulders)
- mobility impairment.
If you notice any of these symptoms:
Tell your doctor.
Reporting of side effects
5. How to store Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton or blister after EXP. The expiration date is the last day of the specified month.
No special storage instructions.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. Contents of the packaging and other information
Content declaration
- The active substances are abacavir and lamivudine.
- One film-coated tablet contains 600 mg of abacavir and 300 mg of lamivudine.
- Other ingredients are:
- Tablet core: microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, sodium starch glycolate (type A), and magnesium stearate.
- Film coating: hypromellose, macrogol 4000, titanium dioxide (E171), polysorbate 80, yellow iron oxide (E172), and red iron oxide (E172).
What the medicine looks like and the contents of the pack
Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva 600 mg / 300 mg film-coated tablets are orange, rectangular, and biconvex tablets, imprinted with 600 on one side and 300 on the other side and approximately 20.5 mm x 9 mm in size.
Abacavir / Lamivudine Teva 600 mg / 300 mg film-coated tablets are available in pack sizes of 10, 30 or 90 film-coated tablets in blisters or 10×1, 30×1 or 90×1 film-coated tablets in perforated unit dose blisters.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed
Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Box 1070
251 10 Helsingborg
Manufacturer
PLIVA Hrvatska doo (PLIVA Croatia Ltd.)
Prilaz baruna Filipovica 25,
Zagreb 1000
Croatia
Teva Pharma BV
Swensveg 5,
2031 GA Haarlem
Netherlands
Merckle GmbH
Graf-Acro Page 3
89079Ulm
Germany