Adefovir Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Adefovir Tablet (adefovir dipivoxil) is an antiviral medicine used to treat chronic hepatitis B virus infection in adults and children 12 years of age and older. It does not cure hepatitis B, but it lowers the amount of virus in the body. It belongs to a class of medicines called nucleotide analogs (nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors) and is taken once daily as prescribed by a doctor.

What is Adefovir Tablet

Adefovir is an antiviral medicine used to treat long-term (chronic) hepatitis B virus infection in adults and children 12 years of age and older. It does not cure hepatitis B, but it lowers the amount of virus in the body.

Adefovir Tablet uses

• Treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection.
• Helps suppress hepatitis B virus replication.
• Helps manage long-term hepatitis B infection.
• Helps control liver inflammation caused by hepatitis B.
• Helps reduce the risk of complications from chronic hepatitis B when used as prescribed.

Benefits of Adefovir Tablet

• Treats chronic hepatitis B infection.
• Helps reduce hepatitis B virus levels in the body.
• Helps control liver inflammation caused by hepatitis B.
• May help reduce the risk of liver damage over time.
• Supports long-term management of chronic hepatitis B.

How Adefovir Tablet works

Adefovir is changed in the body into its active form, which blocks an enzyme the hepatitis B virus needs to copy its genetic material. This stops the virus from multiplying and helps reduce the amount of virus in the body.

Adefovir Tablet dosage

Adefovir Tablet is taken by mouth once a day, with or without food. Take it at around the same time every day, and exactly as your doctor prescribes; do not take more or less than prescribed. Do not stop taking this medicine without talking to your doctor, since stopping it can cause your hepatitis to get worse. It is not recommended for children under 12 years of age.

If you miss a dose and remember the same day, take it as soon as you remember. If you don't remember until the next day, skip the missed dose and continue your regular schedule — do not take two doses in one day.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet (10 mg)

Side effects of Adefovir Tablet

Common

• Weakness or tiredness
• Headache
• Stomach/abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Gas (flatulence)
• Indigestion
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Rash
• Increased creatinine levels (a kidney function blood test result)

Serious

• Severe worsening of hepatitis after stopping the medicine (extreme tiredness, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, yellowing of skin or eyes, dark urine, light-colored stools, muscle or joint pain)
• Kidney damage (reduced urination, swelling of hands, feet, ankles, or legs, confusion, weakness, trouble breathing)
• Lactic acidosis, a buildup of acid in the blood (confusion, unusual bleeding or bruising, yellowing of skin or eyes, dark urine, light-colored stools, difficulty breathing, stomach pain or swelling, nausea, vomiting, unusual muscle pain, loss of appetite, lack of energy, flu-like symptoms, itching, feeling cold, dizziness, fast or irregular heartbeat, extreme weakness)
• Liver damage (nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, fever, weakness, itching, loss of appetite, light-colored stools, dark urine, yellowing of skin or eyes)
• Severe allergic reaction (breathing problems, wheezing, racing heart, fever, swollen lymph nodes, swelling of face/lips/mouth/tongue/throat, trouble swallowing, hives, dizziness, fainting)
• Worsening of HIV infection or emergence of HIV drug resistance if HIV is untreated or unrecognized

Warnings and precautions

• Do not stop taking this medicine without talking to your doctor first, because your hepatitis may get worse, especially in the first few months after stopping.
• This medicine can cause kidney damage, especially in people with existing kidney problems, high blood pressure, or diabetes, or in those taking certain other medicines.
• If you have untreated HIV infection, taking this medicine could make the HIV harder to treat because of possible drug resistance.
• This medicine can cause serious or life-threatening liver damage and a buildup of acid in the blood called lactic acidosis. Risk may be higher in women, people who are overweight, or those who have taken hepatitis B medicines for a long time.
• This medicine should not be taken together with other medicines containing tenofovir.
• This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless absolutely necessary. Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
• This medicine is not recommended while breastfeeding unless absolutely necessary. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor, who may suggest a safer alternative.
• This medicine should be used with extreme caution in people with kidney disease, since it can worsen kidney function. Your doctor should check your kidney function before and during treatment, and your dose may need to be adjusted.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have had liver disease other than hepatitis B, since stopping this medicine can cause serious liver problems, and close monitoring of liver function is needed, especially after stopping treatment.
• It is not known how this medicine interacts with alcohol. Talk to your doctor before drinking alcohol while taking this medicine.

Storage

• Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children.
• Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).
• Keep all medication out of sight and reach of children; always lock safety caps.
• Dispose of unneeded medication through a medicine take-back program rather than flushing it down the toilet.

When to see a doctor

• Call your doctor right away if, after stopping this medicine, you have extreme tiredness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, light-colored bowel movements, or muscle or joint pain.
• Call your doctor right away if you notice confusion, decreased urination, or swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs, which can be signs of kidney problems.
• Call your doctor right away if you have confusion, unusual bleeding or bruising, yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, light-colored stools, trouble breathing, stomach pain or swelling, nausea, vomiting, unusual muscle pain, loss of appetite, extreme tiredness, flu-like symptoms, itching, feeling cold, dizziness, or a fast or irregular heartbeat.
• Stop taking this medicine and get help right away if you have signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing, wheezing, racing heart, fever, swollen lymph nodes, swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat, trouble swallowing, hives, dizziness, or fainting.
• If you think you have taken too much of this medicine, get emergency medical help right away.

Alternatives

• Epivir-HBV
• Baraclude
• Vemlidy