Abacavir is an antiretroviral medication that is generally used in the treatment and prevention of HIV or AIDS. It belongs to the nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor class and it works by blocking the reverse transcription activity of the viral genome. It is not recommended to be used by itself and it is always suggested to be used in combination with other medications.
Side Effects of Abacavir sulphate:
Below are mentioned some common side effects of abacavir sulfate:
- Headache
- Sleeping problem
- Loss of appetite
- Ear pain
- Severe tiredness, achiness, or generally ill feeling.
- Cold symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, sinus pain).
Frequently observed signs and symptoms include fever, skin rash and fatigue.
Gastrointestinal symptoms may include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, or abdominal pain.
Other signs and symptoms include malaise, lethargy, myalgia, arthralgia, edema, shortness of breath, and paresthesia.
Physical findings could occur as mucous membrane lesions (conjunctivitis and mouth ulcerations), rash and lymphadenopathy. Hypersensitivity reactions have occurred without rash.
Laboratory abnormalities such as increased creatine phosphokinase or creatinine, lymphopenia and elevated liver function tests.
Liver failure, anaphylaxis, renal failure, hypotension, and death have also occurred in association with hypersensitivity reactions.
Symptoms worsen with continued therapy but often resolve upon discontinuation of Abacavir 300 mg.
Risk factors that may predict the occurrence or severity of hypersensitivity to abacavir have not been identified.
Few adverse side effect of abacavir sulphate that when appears should immediately consult to doctor:
- Lactic acidosis: cases of lactic acidosis have been reported by the use of abacavir sulphate.
- Hypersensitivity: severe or fatal cases of hypersensitivity have been reported.
- Immune reconstitution syndrome: Immune reconstitution syndrome is caused by antiretroviral medication.
- Severe hepatomegaly: by the use of nucleoside analogue Severe hepatomegaly occurs.
- Changes in immune system: When a patient initiates HIV drugs, their immune system may get stronger and could become more effective in order to fight infections that have been hidden in the body, such as herpes virus, pneumonia or tuberculosis. If you experience any new signs and symptoms after initiating your HIV drugs, immediately tell your doctor.
- Changes in body fat: These changements may occur in patients with the ARV medicines like Abacavir sulphate. changes in body fat could be as an excess fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), around the back, breast, chest, and also around the stomach. Loss of fat has been also observed from the arms, legs, and face. Apart from this, the causes and long-term health effects of such circumstances are unspecified.
