Often used for:
HIV-1 infection
What is abacavir?
Abacavir is used along with other medicines to treat infection caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Abacavir is in a group of medicines called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). It works to slow down how soon symptoms appear and may help slow the damage caused by HIV. Abacavir does not cure HIV.
This medicine may be given in the clinic, hospital, or at home.
The care team may order a genetic test called HLA-B. The genetic test will tell the care team the possibility of developing an allergic reaction to the medicine.
Your child's care team will do blood tests to check your child's response to these medicines.
How to take abacavir
- 1.Take exactly as prescribed. Do not skip doses.
- 2.If a dose is missed, take it as soon as remembered unless it is almost time for the next dose.
- 3.Do not restart abacavir after missing several doses without talking to the care team.
Possible side effects
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Low blood counts
- Feeling tired or weak
- Fever
- Stomach pain
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- If a rash develops during the first few weeks of taking this medicine and includes 2 of more side effects listed above, stop taking abacavir and contact the care team right away.
Tips for patients and families
- Tell all of your child's health care providers that your child is taking this medicine. This includes your child's doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
- If your child stops taking this medicine for any reason, they should not restart it without talking to your care team.
- Do not give your child other medicines that contain alcohol or allow your child to drink alcohol while they take this medicine.
- It is important that patients tell the care team if they are sexually active, pregnant, or breastfeeding.
