Makindo Medical Notes.com

Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogues and other antiretrovirals. Discontinue EPIVIR if clinical or laboratory findings suggestive of lactic acidosis or pronounced hepatotoxicity occur

About: Always check the BNF link here

• Aim to reduce viral load with combination therapy

Mode of action

• Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI class)
• Blocking the HIV reverse transcriptase and hepatitis B virus polymerase

Indication/Dose

• HIV infection: Lamivudine 300 mg OD or 150 mg BD
• Post exposure prophylaxis
• Prevent mother to child transmission
• Chronic Hepatitis B

Interactions

• Cautions with nephrotoxic drugs
• Cautions with myelosuppressive drugs

Cautions

• Dose is reduced in renal failure

Contraindications

• See BNF

Side effects

• Fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, insomnia and myalgia may occur. Toxicity is generally low.
• Polyneuropathy, pancreatitis, anaemia and lactic acidosis are rare.
• Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B have been reported in patients who are co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV-1 and have discontinued Lamivudine

References