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

Quick overview

Tivicay Tablet (dolutegravir) is a prescription antiviral medicine used together with other HIV medicines to treat HIV-1 infection in adults and children aged 12 years and older who weigh at least 40 kg. It is not a cure for HIV or AIDS, so it must be taken consistently as prescribed. Tivicay works by blocking an HIV enzyme called integrase, helping to lower viral load and support immune function.

What is Tivicay Tablet

Tivicay is a prescription antiviral medicine used with other HIV medicines to treat HIV-1 infection. It is not a cure for HIV or AIDS, so you must keep taking it as prescribed to control the virus.

Tivicay Tablet uses

• Treats HIV-1 infection in adults and children aged 12 years and older who weigh at least 40 kg, when used together with other antiretroviral medicines

Benefits of Tivicay Tablet

• Reduces the amount of HIV-1 in your blood (viral load)
• Increases the number of CD4+ (T) cells in your blood, which help fight off other infections
• May help improve your immune system and reduce your risk of death or opportunistic infections

How Tivicay Tablet works

Tivicay blocks an HIV enzyme called integrase, which the virus needs to insert its genetic material into human cells. By stopping this step, the medicine helps prevent HIV from multiplying in the body.

Tivicay Tablet dosage

Tivicay can be taken with or without food. Take it exactly as your healthcare provider tells you, at the same time each day. Do not change your dose or stop taking it without talking to your healthcare provider first.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember; if it's within 4 hours of your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule — do not take two doses at once. Do not run out of your medicine, since stopping even briefly can allow the virus to become resistant.

If using the oral suspension tablet form, do not chew, cut, or crush it — swallow it whole or mix it in water as directed by your provider. Take antacids, laxatives, or supplements containing calcium, magnesium, aluminum, or iron either 2 hours before or 6 hours after taking this medicine.

Available forms and strengths

• Oral tablets (10 mg, 25 mg, and 50 mg)
• Tablets for oral suspension (5 mg)

Side effects of Tivicay Tablet

Common

• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Headache
• Feeling tired

Serious

• Severe allergic reactions (rash with fever, ill feeling, muscle or joint aches, blisters, facial swelling, trouble breathing)
• Liver damage, especially in people with hepatitis B or C (yellowing of skin/eyes, dark urine, pale stools, nausea, loss of appetite, stomach pain)
• Immune reconstitution syndrome (new or worsening symptoms of a hidden infection soon after starting treatment)
• Changes in body fat distribution (increased fat in upper back/neck, breast, or trunk; fat loss from legs, arms, and face)

Warnings and precautions

• Do not take Tivicay together with dofetilide, as the combination can cause potentially life-threatening side effects.
• Serious allergic reactions have occurred, with rash, fever, and sometimes organ damage including liver injury. Stop the medicine right away and get medical help if signs of an allergic reaction appear, since delaying treatment could be life-threatening.
• People with hepatitis B or C may have a higher risk of worsening liver enzyme levels while taking this medicine. Liver testing is recommended before and during treatment.
• Changes in body fat (such as fat buildup in the neck/back or loss of fat from the face/limbs) have happened in people on combination HIV therapy; the cause and long-term effects aren't known.
• When starting treatment, the immune system may react to hidden infections that were already in the body, causing new symptoms that need evaluation.
• Tivicay should only be used during pregnancy if your doctor decides the benefits outweigh the potential risks. There is a pregnancy registry to track outcomes for women who take this medicine while pregnant.
• Mothers with HIV should not breastfeed because HIV can pass to the baby through breast milk, and it isn't known if this medicine also passes into breast milk.
• No dose change is usually needed for kidney problems, but caution is needed in certain drug-resistant patients with severe kidney impairment, since lower drug levels could let the virus become resistant.
• People with liver problems, including hepatitis B or C, may be at higher risk of liver enzyme changes. This medicine isn't recommended for people with severe liver impairment, and liver function tests are recommended before and during treatment.
• It isn't known whether drinking alcohol affects this medicine.
• Dizziness or fatigue can occur; avoid driving if affected.

Storage

• Store at room temperature between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C)
• Keep Tivicay and all medicines out of the reach of children

When to see a doctor

• Get medical help right away if you develop a rash along with fever, feeling very ill, tiredness, muscle or joint aches, blisters or skin peeling, mouth sores, eye redness or swelling, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, or trouble breathing — these may be signs of a serious allergic reaction.
• Call your healthcare provider right away if you notice signs of liver problems, such as yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, or pain below the ribs on the right side.
• Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop new symptoms of infection after starting treatment, since this could be a sign of immune reconstitution syndrome.
• If you think you've taken too much Tivicay, contact your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

Alternatives

• Bictegravir-containing regimens
• Raltegravir
• Cabotegravir-based therapy