adefovir
Pronunciation: a DEF oh vir
Brand: Hepsera
Adefovir Dipivoxil
10 mg, round, white, imprinted with E3
Hepsera
10 mg, round, white, imprinted with GILEAD 10, LOGO
What is the most important information I should know about adefovir?
You may need to be tested for HIV before you start taking adefovir. Tell your doctor if you have been exposed to HIV, or if you have untreated HIV or AIDS.
Call your doctor at once if you have liver symptoms such as right-sided upper stomach pain, nausea, loss of appetite, dark urine, or yellowing of your skin or eyes.
Adefovir can harm your kidneys, especially if you already have kidney problems or take certain medicines.
You may develop lactic acidosis, a dangerous build-up of lactic acid in your blood. Call your doctor or get emergency medical help if you have unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain, dizziness, feeling cold, or feeling very weak or tired.
Hepatitis B may become active or get worse after you stop using adefovir. You may need frequent liver function tests for several months.
What is adefovir?
Adefovir is an antiviral medicine that is used to treat chronic hepatitis B in adults and children at least 12 years old. Adefovir is not a cure for chronic hepatitis B.
Adefovir may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking adefovir?
You should not take adefovir if you are allergic to it.
You should not take adefovir if you also medicine that contains tenofovir (Atripla, Biktarvy, Cimduo, Complera, Delstrigo, Descovy, Genvoya, Stribild, Symfi, Truvada, or Viread).
Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease or if you are on dialysis.
Tell your doctor if you have been exposed to HIV, or if you have untreated HIV or AIDS. Taking medicines to treat chronic hepatitis B can cause HIV infection to become resistant to the standard HIV and AIDS medications. You may need to be tested for HIV before you start taking adefovir.
You may develop lactic acidosis, a dangerous build-up of lactic acid in your blood. This may be more likely if you have other medical conditions, if you've taken antiviral medication for a long time, or if you are a woman. Ask your doctor about your risk.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry to track the effects of adefovir on the baby.
Adefovir is not approved for use by anyone younger than 12 years old.
How should I take adefovir?
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use the medicine exactly as directed.
Take the medicine at the same time each day, with or without food.
Do not change your dose or stop using this medicine without your doctor's advice.
You will need frequent medical tests.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep the tablets in their original container, along with the packet or canister of moisture-absorbing preservative.
Hepatitis B may become active or get worse in the months after you stop using adefovir. You may need frequent liver function tests while using this medicine and for several months after your last dose.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.
Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while taking adefovir?
Using this medicine will not prevent your disease from spreading. Do not have unprotected sex or share razors or toothbrushes. Talk with your doctor about safe ways to prevent transmission during sex. Sharing drug or medicine needles is never safe, even for a healthy person.
What are the possible side effects of adefovir?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Mild symptoms of lactic acidosis may worsen over time, and this condition can be fatal. Get emergency medical help if you have: unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain, vomiting, irregular heart rate, dizziness, feeling cold, or feeling very weak or tired.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- kidney problems --little or no urination, swelling in your feet or ankles, feeling tired or short of breath; or
- liver problems --nausea, loss of appetite, stomach pain (upper right side), dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Common side effects may include:
- stomach pain, nausea;
- weakness; or
- headache.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect adefovir?
Adefovir can harm your kidneys, especially if you also use certain medicines for infections, cancer, osteoporosis, organ transplant rejection, bowel disorders, high blood pressure, or pain or arthritis (including Advil, Motrin, and Aleve).
Other drugs may affect adefovir, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 9.01. Revision date: 2/26/2021.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.