Ziagen for HIV-1 infections

Ziagen is given to people with HIV-1 infections in combination with other antiretroviral medications. Ziagen is only used when taken in combination with other antiretroviral medications. Ziagen belongs to the class of drugs known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

There is no known information on the long-term effects of  Ziagen at this time.

Special Warning(s) with Ziagen:

If you experience signs or symptoms of a severe allergic reaction at any time while you are taking Ziagen,  stop taking Ziagen and contact your doctor immediately. If you have a skin rash or two or more of the following symptoms you may be having a hypersensitivity reaction:

• Fever
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain
• Severe tiredness, achiness, or a general ill feeling
• Sore throat, cough, or shortness of breath

If you experience a hypersensitivity reaction, at any time while taking Ziagen you must never take Ziagen again. If you take Ziagen again, more severe symptoms will reappear within hours, which may include life-threatening low blood pressure and death.

Ziagen can cause a condition called lactic acidosis (accumulation of lactic acid in the body) together with an enlarged liver, which can be a serious and sometimes fatal.

If you have a history of liver problems, your health care provider will evaluate and decide if Ziagen is right for you.

General Precautions to take when on Ziagen:

• Because resistance to the HIV virus can occur quickly with single-drug treatment, Ziagen should always be taken in combination with other antiretroviral medications. Ziagen should not be taken alone to treat HIV. If your current treatment is failing, Ziagen should not be added as a single agent.

• Ziagen is not a cure for HIV infection. At present, there are no results from studies evaluating long term suppression of HIV or disease progression. You may continue to experience illnesses associated with HIV infection, including opportunistic infections.

• You should remain under the care of a physician when using Ziagen. If you stopped taking Ziagen for reasons other than a severe allergic reaction, it is possible to begin taking Ziagen again with continued monitoring by your doctor for such a reaction.

• Ziagen has not been shown to reduce the risk of transmission to others through sexual contact or blood contamination.

There are some things that you should tell your doctor when taking this medication:

Tell your health care provider if you are:

• trying to become pregnant, or are pregnant.
• breast-feeding or thinking about breast-feeding while taking Ziagen.

What side effects can you expect when taking Ziagen? (This is only a partial list of side effects reported with Ziagen. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a complete list of possible side effects and drug interactions..)Carry the warning card of Ziagen allergy symptoms with you. Tell your health care provider immediately about any side effects you experience while taking Ziagen. Serious and life threatening allergic reactions have been associated with Ziagen (See “Special Warnings”).

Side effects of Ziagen include:

• Fever
• Rash
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Feeling tired
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Trouble sleeping
• Joint pain
• Swelling
• Shortness of breath

For more detailed information about Ziagen, ask your health care provider.