Ziagen

Description

What is Ziagen (Abacavir)?

Part of the group of ARV medications, Ziagen has demonstrated effectiveness in treating HIV. The medication is ideal for patients of different ages. It’s generic name is abacavir. Ziagen is the brand name of Abacavir, and is also available as Abacavir Sulfate and Abamune.

How does Ziagen work?

As a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), Abacavir (Ziagen) answers the need for medical therapy for HIV. The medicine serves as a catalyst that terminates the working of the virus. Aside from controlling its growth inside the body, it also diminishes the load of viruses in the blood. Furthermore, the medicine is also responsible for the discontinuance of AIDS.

Dosage

Prior to presenting a dosage, there are important things that medical specialists needed to note first. These are:

• An individual’s weight and age
• An individual’s other medical situations or forms of medicine he/she is taking at the present day

Children Dosage

• 300 mg and 450 mg per day – depending on the weight of the child

Newborn Dosage

• 8 mg per day – also depends on the newborn’s weight

Adult Dosage

• 300 mg consumed twice or 1 take for 600 mg

How to take it?

Since its main form is only in a tablet, consuming Ziagen should be easy and quick. This is done orally. As a prescription is important, the patient must be able to follow its medical directions. In the case that the patient forgets to take their dose for one day, he/she must take it immediately. But in the event where it’s time for the next dose, he/she must avoid dual dosage. In this case, forget the skipped dose and move on with the new one. Following the healthcare professional’s advice in taking medicine is a must as it can help in the entire treatment.

Ziagen Side Effects

Together with other ARVs available, there are equivalent unwanted reactions that it presents. These are as follows:

Mild Side Effects:

• Difficulty sleeping
• Headache
• Loss of appetite

Severe Side Effects: 

• Difficulty breathing
• Blisters or peeling of the skin
• Itching
• Hives
• Weakness
• Weight loss
• Irregular heartbeat
• Muscle pain
• Stomach pain 
• Tingling of the arms
• Light-coloured bowels
• Jaundice
• Bleeding or bruising
• Depression
• Anxiety