TELBIVUDINE

Drug Status in USA : Approved
Drug Status in Canada : Approved

pronunciation

pronounced as (tel biv' ue deen)

Why is this medication prescribed?

Telbivudine is used for chronic (long term) hepatitis B infection (swelling of the liver caused by a virus) in people who may also show signs of liver damage. Telbivudine is in a class of medications called nucleoside analogues. It works by decreasing the amount of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the body. Telbivudine does not cure hepatitis B and may not prevent complications of chronic hepatitis B, such as cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer. Telbivudine does not prevent the spread of hepatitis B to other people through sexual contact, sharing needles, or contact with blood.


How should this medicine be used?

Telbivudine comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day with or without food. Take telbivudine at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take telbivudine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient.


What are the precautions to be followed?

Before taking telbivudine,
  • tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to telbivudine or any other medications.
  • tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention the medications listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section and any of the following: chloroquine (Aralen);erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Erythrocin); fenofibrate (Antara, Lofibra, Triglide); gemfibrozil (Lopid); hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil); medications to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ, such as cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) or tacrolimus (Prograf); medications to treat fungal infections such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), posaconazole (Noxafil), or voriconazole (Vfend); oral steroids such as dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexone), methylprednisolone (Medrol), and prednisone; (Deltasone), penicillamine (Cuprimine); probenecid; or zidovudine (AZT, Retrovir, in Combivir, in Trizivir). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
  • Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a liver transplant (surgery to replace a diseased liver), or kidney disease.
  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking telbivudine, call your doctor. Do not breastfeed while you are taking telbivudine.
  • If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking telbivudine.

What are possible side effects of this medication ?

Telbivudine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
  • headache
  • diarrhea
  • back or joint pain
  • difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
  • itching
  • rash
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:
  • muscle aches, pain, weakness, or tenderness

Telbivudine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.


How to store the medication and dispose it of after its use later?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children and pets. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about proper disposal of your medication.


Drug Category/Class

  • Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors
  • Antiinfectives for Systemic Use
  • Direct Acting Antivirals
  • Antivirals for Systemic Use
  • Nucleoside and Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Nucleoside and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors
Prescribed For the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in adult and adolescent patients ?16 years of age with evidence of viral replication and either evidence o...
Weight :242.2286
Structure Telbivudine
Generic Drug Telbivudine prescribed For the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in adult and adolescent patients ?16 years of age with evidence of viral replication and either evidence o...
Formula

C10H14N2O5

Telbivudine has 1 Brands listed


sebivo

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