Abacavir uses an oral drug used for HIV infection. mechanism of abacavir is converting into the active form carbovir triphosphate. Abacavir is in a class of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!- Abacavir Classof drug: Antiviral
- Brand name: Ziagen
- Storage of drug: At 20-250C
After oral administration rapidly absorbed bioavailability of abacavir is about 80%.
Abacavir is 50% bound to plasma proteins and crosses the blood-brain barrier.
The half-life of abacavir is about 1.5 hr after a single oral dose.
If any person has a severe renal disease or liver disease and a history of hypersensitivity don’t give abacavir.
The main side effect of abacavir is Anorexia, Headache,Β Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Rash, Fever, Cough, Dyspnoea, Fatigue, Malaise, Lethargy, and Abdominal Pain.
Indication & Dosage:
Abacavir uses is an oral drug used for HIV infection :
- Adult: Combined with other antiretrovirals: 300 mg bid or 600 mg once daily.
- Child: Combined with other antiretrovirals: >3 mth: 8 mg/kg bid. Max: 600 mg daily.
- Renal impairment: Abacavir is avoid end-stage renal disease.
- Hepatic impairment: Child pugh category A: 200 mg bid. Avoid moderate-severe impairment.
Mechanism of Action:
In intracellular abacavir is converting into the active form carbovir triphosphate. Abacavir competitively inhibits the reverse transcriptase of retroviruses. Which is interfering with HIV viral RNA-dependent DNA polymerase resulting in inhibition of viral replication.
- Absorption: After oral administration rapidly absorbed bioavailability of abacavir is about 80%.
- Distribution: Abacavir is 50% bound to plasma proteins and crosses the blood-brain barrier.
- Metabolism: Undergoes metabolism intracellular to carbovir triphosphate which is the active metabolite.
- Excretion: Elimination half-life: Abacavir half-life is about 1.5 hr after a single oral dose.Β The drug abacavir is elimination by hepatic metabolism mainly by alcohol dehydrogenase and glucuronidation. After metabolite abacavir is excreted by the urine.
How to take Abacavir:
The drug may be taken with food and without food.
Contraindications of abacavir:
- Moderate to severe renal impairment
- Hepatic impairment
- End-stage renal disease
- history of hypersensitivity reactions.
- Pregnancy and lactation.
Special Precautions about abacavir:
- Renal or mild liver impairment
- Risk for liver impairment.
- Discontinued when hepatomegaly and unexplained metabolic acidosis develop, or liver function deteriorates.
- May impair the ability to drive or engage in tasks requiring alertness.
- Discontinue treatment as soon as hypersensitivity is suspect.
The Side effect of abacavir:
- Anorexia
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Rash
- Fever
- Cough
- Dyspnoea
- Fatigue
- Malaise
- Lethargy
- Abdominal pain.
- Pancreatitis and elevated blood glucose and TG concentrations.
After taking this drug chance of death due to: Severe hypersensitivity reactions.
Abacavir Interactions with another drug:
- Alcohol may cause decreased elimination of abacavir.
- Lactic acidosis with nucleoside analogs concomitantly.
- Decreased serum concentrations of methadone.
In pregnant women, Abacavir can give teratogenic or embryocidal effects.