All you need to know about Entecavir tablets

What is Entecavir: 

Entecavir 0.5 mg contains Entecavir as an active substance. Entecavir 0.5 & 1mg tablets are anti-viral medicines, used to treat chronic (long term) hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in adults.

What is the use of Entecavir tablets: 

Entecavir can be used in people whose liver is damaged but still functions properly (compensated liver disease) and in people whose liver is damaged and does not function properly (decompensated liver disease).

This medication (Entecavir) is also used to treat HIV infection, and chronic HBV infection (long term) in children and adolescents aged 2 years to less than 18 years.

Entecavir may also be used in children with the compensated liver disease means whose liver is damaged but still functions properly.

Hepatitis B virus may lead towards the infection which has the potential to damage the liver. Entecavir tablets are effective in order to reduce the amount of virus in the body, and in this way it helps in enhancing the condition of the liver.

Side Effects of Entecavir: 

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Patients with Entecavir have reported some common adverse reactions which are as follows:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Dizziness
• Insomnia (Inability to sleep)
• Fatigue (Extreme tiredness)
• Somnolence (Sleepiness)
• Dyspepsia (Indigestion)
• Increased blood levels of liver enzymes. 

Uncommon side effects are as: rash, severe allergic reactions, and hair loss.

In case of any adverse reactions talk to your healthcare provider. 

How Entecavir is useful in the treatment of HIV: 

Entecavir is a nucleoside analog, or a deoxyguanosine analogue that mainly belongs to a class of medication named carbocyclic nucleosides. This medication inhibits reverse transcription, DNA replication and transcription in the viral replication process.

This medication is highly potent against HBV, but can select for HIV resistance mutations (M184V). Therefore, entecavir should only be used in HBV/HIV coinfected patients in addition to (and should not replace components of) fully suppressive ART.

Entecavir mainly works by reducing the amount of HBV in the blood by resisting and decreasing its ability to multiply and infect new cells.

The efficacy of entecavir medication has been found good in several clinical trials. Entecavir, when taken by mouth is more effective and also well-tolerated treatment.

• In most cases, you may take Entecavir 0.5mg with or without food. However, if you have had a previous treatment with a medicine containing the active substance lamivudine you should consider the following.
• In case of moving towards the Entecavir 0.5 because the treatment with lamivudine was not successful, you should take Entecavir on an empty stomach once daily.
• If your liver disease is very advanced, your doctor will also instruct you to take Entecavir 1mg on an empty stomach.
• Empty stomach stands as, at least 2 hours after a meal and at least 2 hours before your next meal.
• Children and adolescents (from 2 to less than 18 years of age) can take Entecavir 1mg with or without food.
• The price of Entecavir is affordable which can be purchased by any respective patient from any authorized pharmaceutical company. 

Read:- Symptoms of HIV, and how to control HIV infection?

            

            List of Medications for HIV