What is lamivudin?
Lamivudin is an antiviral drug used primarily to treat patients with AIDS. This medicine, used orally in the form of a pill or liquid, works by slowing the virus and limiting how quickly it is reproduced in the body. This is not a treatment, but it can help prevent the disease from progressing as quickly as it would normally. It can also be used as a preventive measure to prevent infection in persons of randomly exposed virus. Hepatitis B is sometimes treated with lamivudin. The drug is part of a group known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase or NRTI inhibitors that block the reproductive functions of the virus. Another nrti, zidovudin, is one of the most common drugs that combine with lamivudin.
Hepatitis B treatment usually requires less lamivudin than AIDS treatment. The drug works in the same way to block the reproduction of the virus to slow down the progress of the disease. In some cases its use for a long time led to a virus mutation that is resistant to treatment but the benefits of drug useAnd they are generally considered to be outweighing this risk.
patients using lamivudin should be careful to consistently take doses according to the instructions; If the dose is omitted, it is important to return quickly as planned. Users should surely inform their doctors about any other medicines or supplements they use because interactions can affect how it works. People with certain existing health conditions and pregnant women should talk to them with their doctors before they took the medicine.
When using lamivudin, a number of side effects may be reported. Digestive problems such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may arise. Patients may have trouble sleeping. They can hbolesti heads, overload and cough. Some people may feel depressed or lose appetite.
Once a potentially serious complication of lamivudin use is a condition known as lactic acidosis, toDE lactic acid is not rapidly reinforced from the body, thus accumulating in the bloodstream. This effect can cause serious damage to the liver and may even become fatal if it is not resolved quickly. Because of this possible problem, the doctor will usually monitor the patient's response to the drug. Patients who notice side effects indicating lactan acidosis, such as yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark colored urine or excessive fatigue, should immediately talk to their doctor.