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

Quick overview

Hepsera Tablet contains adefovir dipivoxil, a nucleotide analogue antiviral medicine used to treat chronic hepatitis B virus infection in people 12 years of age and older. It works by reducing the amount of hepatitis B virus in the body, though it does not cure the infection. Hepsera is taken once daily and requires regular monitoring of liver and kidney function while in use.

What is Hepsera Tablet

Hepsera is an antiviral tablet containing adefovir dipivoxil, used to treat long-lasting (chronic) hepatitis B virus infection in people 12 years of age and older. It does not cure hepatitis B.

Hepsera Tablet uses

• Treatment of chronic hepatitis B in patients 12 years of age and older with signs of active virus activity and liver inflammation

Benefits of Hepsera Tablet

• Reduces the amount of hepatitis B virus in your body
• Lowers the ability of the virus to multiply and infect new liver cells
• Can improve inflammation and scar tissue in the liver caused by hepatitis B
• May reduce the chance of developing cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer

How Hepsera Tablet works

Hepsera is an antiviral medicine. Once absorbed, the active drug blocks an enzyme the hepatitis B virus needs to copy its genetic material, stopping the virus from multiplying and reducing the amount of virus in the body.

Hepsera Tablet dosage

Take one tablet once daily, with or without food. Take it at the same time each day to help you remember and avoid missing doses. Do not stop taking this medicine or change your dose without first talking to your doctor, because your hepatitis may get worse. Do not let your supply run out; refill your prescription before you run out. Stay under the care of a doctor who monitors your liver and kidney function while you take this medicine.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for your next dose - then skip the missed dose and continue your normal schedule; do not take two doses at once. If you vomit, do not take another dose unless the vomiting happened within an hour of taking it.

This medicine does not stop you from spreading hepatitis B to others, so continue to take precautions such as safe sex and not sharing needles or personal items that may have blood on them.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablets (10 mg)

Side effects of Hepsera Tablet

Common

• Weakness (asthenia)
• Headache
• Stomach (abdominal) pain
• Nausea
• Flatulence (gas)
• Diarrhea
• Indigestion (dyspepsia)

Serious

• Severe worsening (flare-up) of hepatitis B after stopping the medicine
• Kidney problems (nephrotoxicity), including little or no urination, swelling in feet or ankles, feeling tired or short of breath
• Lactic acidosis (build-up of acid in the blood)
• Severe liver problems with liver enlargement and fat build-up (hepatomegaly with steatosis)
• HIV drug resistance if HIV infection is untreated or unrecognized
• Allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Renal failure, Fanconi syndrome, kidney tubule damage
• Muscle problems (myopathy) and bone softening (osteomalacia) that may lead to fractures
• Pancreatitis

Warnings and precautions

• Severe sudden worsening of hepatitis B can happen in people who stop taking this medicine. Your doctor will need to monitor your liver closely for several months after you stop.
•  This medicine can cause serious kidney damage over time, especially in people who already have kidney problems or take other medicines that affect the kidneys.
• If you have hepatitis B and an unrecognized or untreated HIV infection, this medicine may lead to the HIV virus becoming resistant to standard HIV treatments. A serious, sometimes fatal build-up of acid in the blood (lactic acidosis) and severe liver problems with an enlarged, fatty liver have been reported with this type of medicine.
• Do not take this medicine together with products containing tenofovir. Women, people who are very overweight, or those who have taken this type of antiviral medicine for a long time may have a higher risk of lactic acidosis or severe liver problems.
• Pregnancy: It is not known if this medicine can harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning pregnancy; there is a pregnancy registry to track outcomes for women exposed to this medicine during pregnancy.
• Breastfeeding: It is not known whether this medicine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Talk with your doctor about the best way to feed your baby during treatment.
• Kidney: This medicine can cause serious kidney problems, especially in people who already have kidney disease or are at risk of kidney problems. Your doctor will check your kidney function regularly and may need to adjust your dose.
• Liver: Severe worsening of hepatitis may occur if you stop taking this medicine, and your liver function will need to be monitored closely for several months after stopping.
• Alcohol: Best avoided or minimized because alcohol can worsen liver damage.
• Driving: Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine affects you.

Storage

• Store in the original container at room temperature, with the cap tightly closed
• Keep the tablets with the desiccant (moisture-absorbing packet) that comes in the bottle
• Keep in a cool, dry place away from heat and dampness; do not store in a bathroom or near a sink or in a car
• Do not use if the seal over the bottle opening is broken or missing
• Keep out of reach of children
• Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of any leftover medicine or if it has expired

When to see a doctor

• Call your doctor right away if you notice signs of lactic acidosis, such as feeling very weak or tired, unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, feeling cold (especially in arms and legs), dizziness, or a fast or irregular heartbeat
• Call your doctor right away if your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, your urine turns dark, your stools turn light-colored, or you have nausea, loss of appetite, or pain on the right side of your stomach area - these may be signs of serious liver problems
• Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Seek emergency medical attention right away if you think you or someone else may have taken too much of this medicine

Alternatives

• Entecavir
• Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
• Peginterferon alfa