Warnings and Precautions of Entecavir

Entecavir is an antiviral medicine, used to treat chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in adults.

Entecavir can be used in people whose liver is damaged but still functions properly and in people whose liver is damaged and does not function properly. 

Warnings and Precautions:

Discuss with your healthcare provider before initiating Entecavir:

• If you have ever had problems with your kidneys, tell your doctor. This is crucial because this medication is eliminated from your body through the kidneys and your dose or dosing schedule may need to be adjusted.
• Do not stop taking Entecavir 1 mg without your doctor’s advice since your hepatitis may worsen after stopping treatment. When patients stopped the treatment with Entecavir, their doctor should continue to monitor them and take blood tests for the next several months.
• Talk to your doctor whether your liver is properly functioning or not and, if not, then what would be the possible effects on your Entecavir treatment.
• If you carry infection of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) then be sure in order to intimate your doctor. A respective patient should avoid the consumption of Entecavir in order to treat hepatitis B infection unless he/she is taking drugs for HIV at the same time, as the effectiveness of future HIV treatment may be reduced. Entecavir may not control your infection of HIV. 
• Consumption of Entecavir 0.5 mg will not prevent you from infecting other people with HBV (hepatitis B virus) through sexual contact or body fluids (including blood contamination). So, it is quite important in order to follow appropriate precautions to prevent others from infection with HBV. A vaccine existed in order to protect those who are at the risk from becoming infected with HBV.
• Entecavir basically belongs to a class of medicines that may cause lactic acidosis (excess of lactic acid in your blood) and also enlargement of the liver. Symptoms such as vomiting, nausea and stomach pain might indicate the development of lactic acidosis. These symptoms are rare but serious side effects occasionally can be fatal. Women are more likely to get lactic acidosis, particularly in the case of excess overweight. During the entire course, your healthcare provider will monitor you on a regular basis.
• If a patient previously treated for chronic hepatitis B, please intimate your healthcare provider.

Children and adolescents: Entecavir should be avoided for use in children who are below 24 months of age or weighing less than 10 kg.

Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Entecavir should not be used while on pregnancy unless specifically directed by your healthcare provider. It is necessary that the women of childbearing potential receiving treatment with Entecavir should use an effective method of contraception in order to avoid becoming pregnant.

You should not breast-feed during treatment with Entecavir. Tell your doctor if you are breast- feeding. It is unspecified whether entecavir, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Entecavir tablets, is excreted in human breast milk.

Read:- Entecavir Indications