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Drug Notebook

Generic Name: lamivudine

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Epivir HBV, Epivir
An NRTI - used for Nonoccupational Exposure and Occupational Exposure and treats Chronic Hepatitis B... more
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FDA Alerts

  • Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis (including some fatalities) reported rarely in patients receiving nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) alone or in conjunction with other antiretrovirals. (See Lactic Acidosis and Severe Hepatomegaly with Steatosis under Cautions.)
  • Epivir® tablets and oral solution (used to treat HIV infection) contain a higher dose of lamivudine than Epivir-HBV® tablets and oral solution (used to treat hepatitis B virus). Patients with HIV should receive only the dosage forms appropriate for treatment of HIV.
  • HIV counseling and testing should be offered to all patients prior to and during Epivir-HBV® therapy. Epivir-HBV® tablets and oral solution contain a lower dose of lamivudine than Epivir® tablets and oral solution. Use of Epivir-HBV® in patients with unrecognized or untreated HIV infection may result in rapid emergence of resistant HIV because the dose is subtherapeutic and monotherapy is inappropriate.
  • Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reported following discontinuance of lamivudine in patients coinfected with HBV and HIV. Monitor hepatic function closely with both clinical and laboratory follow-up for at least several months after lamivudine is discontinued in patients coinfected with HBV and HIV. If appropriate, initiation of treatment for HBV infection may be warranted.
  • The fixed-combination preparation Combivir® contains 2 NRTIs (lamivudine and zidovudine) the fixed-combination preparation Epzicom® contains 2 NRTIs (lamivudine and abacavir), and the fixed-combination preparation Trizivir® contains 3 NRTIs (abacavir, lamivudine, zidovudine); these are intended only for patients whose regimen would otherwise include lamivudine and the other components.
  • If using Combivir® or Trizivir®, consider that zidovudine has been associated with hematologic toxicity including neutropenia and severe anemia, particularly in those with advanced HIV infection; and that prolonged zidovudine use has been associated with symptomatic myopathy.
  • If using Trizivir®, consider that data are limited regarding use of the fixed combination in patients with higher viral loads (>100,000 copies/mL) at baseline.

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(la MIV yoo deen)

What is the most important information I should know about lamivudine?

Lamivudine should not be taken together with Combivir, a medication that contains a combination of lamivudine and zidovudine. Lamivudine may cause lactic acidosis (the build up of lactic acid in the body). Symptoms can start slowly and gradually get worse: unusual muscle pain and weakness, trouble breathing, fast or uneven heart rate, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and numbness or cold feeling in your arms or legs. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these symptoms, even if they are only mild. Lamivudine can also cause severe or life-threatening effects on your liver or pancreas. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these symptoms while taking lamivudine: severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, fast heart rate, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, low fever, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). Before taking lamivudine, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease, liver disease, a history of pancreatitis, or if you have used a medicine similar to lamivudine in the past, such as abacavir (Ziagen), didanosine (Videx), stavudine (Zerit), tenofovir (Viread), zalcitabine (Hivid), or zidovudine (Retrovir).

If you have hepatitis B you may develop liver symptoms after you stop taking lamivudine, even months after stopping. Your doctor may want to check your liver function on a regular basis for several months after you stop using this medication. Do not miss any scheduled visits.

Epivir tablets and liquid contain a higher dose of lamivudine than Epivir-HBV. Epivir is for treating HIV and Epivir-HBV is for treating hepatitis B. Each time you get a refill of this medication, be sure you have received the correct brand to treat your condition.

What is lamivudine?

Lamivudine is an antiviral medication that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body.

The Epivir brand of lamivudine is used to treat HIV, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Lamivudine is not a cure for HIV or AIDS. The Epivir-HBV brand of lamivudine is used to treat chronic hepatitis B. Epivir-HBV should not be used in people who are infected with both hepatitis B and HIV.

Lamivudine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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