Sovaldi Helps Treat the Following Conditions:

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by a blood-borne virus. Infection usually occurs through unsafe injection practices, or the transfusion of contaminated blood and blood products. The virus can cause acute and chronic forms of the disease.

Acute hepatitis C is often without symptoms, and up to 45 percent of infected people recover without treatment. The rest often develop chronic hepatitis C. Antiviral therapy can treat 95 percent of cases, although some patients may develop serious complications such as liver cancer and cirrhosis.

Sovaldi Active Ingredient

Generic Sovaldi  Alternative: Sovaldi

Sovaldi contains the active ingredient sofosbuvir, which helps to reduce the hepatitis C virus in the body. This drug cannot be used on its own and needs to be part of combination treatment with other antiviral medicines.

General Drug Information

What is Sovaldi and What Is It Used For?

In combination with other medications, Sovaldi is prescribed to patients with chronic hepatitis C, a viral infection of the liver. It contains the active ingredient sofosbuvir which helps the immune system fight the hepatitis C virus.

Sovaldi should not be used alone, and is prescribed in combination with other antiviral medications such as ribavirin, peginterferon and daclatasvir. It is not known whether this treatment can prevent patients from passing the virus to others. Patients should not share needles. They should use latex condoms – and other reliable methods – to lower the risk of passing the virus on to others during sex.

Usage and Application

Sovaldi should be taken as prescribed by a patient’s doctor, and the dosage is dependent on the patient’s medical condition and response to treatment.

Most patients are usually prescribed one daily, oral dose, with or without food. Sovaldi works best when taken at evenly spaced intervals so that the amount of drug is kept at a constant level in the body. To help them remember, patients should take the drug at the same time each day.

Patients should continue to take Sovaldi and the other antiviral medications they have been prescribed for the full length of the treatment course, even if symptoms have disappeared. Stopping the treatment early may cause the infection to return.

Considerations Before Taking Sovaldi

Patients need to discuss the possibility of allergic reactions to Sovaldi and its generic alternatives before starting treatment. Patients preparing for surgery or certain dental procedures should inform their doctor or dentist about all medicines, supplements and herbal products they are taking.

It is vital to discuss the patient’s medical history, especially of kidney disease or liver problems like hepatitis B.

Sovaldi should only be used when clearly needed during pregnancy. Combination treatment featuring Sovaldi and ribavirin or peginterferon should not be used during pregnancy – by the mother herself or her male partner – as it may harm an unborn baby. In cases when one of the sexual partners is using this combination, reliable birth control such as condoms or birth control pills must be used. This applies during the course of treatment and for six months after stopping treatment.

In the event of a suspected pregnancy, the treating physician must be alerted right away.

It is unknown if Sovaldi passes into breast milk. Breastfeeding while using Sovaldi in combination with ribavirin or peginterferon, is not recommended.

Delayed and Omitted Doses

Patients who miss a dose of Sovaldi should take it as soon as they remember. If this happens near the time of the next dose, patients should skip the missed dose and proceed as usual. Patients should not double up the dose in order to catch up.

Other Medications and Sovaldi

Drug interactions may change the way Sovaldi work, and can increase the risk of side effects. Before starting treatment, patients need to discuss the full list of medications and supplements they are taking with their doctor.

Patients should not change their dose or stop taking this medication unless their physician advises them to do so.

Some medications – like the heart drug Cordarone – may interact negatively with Sovaldi.

Other drugs affect the removal of Sovaldi from the body, possibly affecting how it works. Examples include antibiotics like rifampin and rifabutin, and HIV medications such as tipranavir and ritonavir. St. John's wort and drugs used to treat seizures – carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin and primidone – have a similar effect.

Do not take Sovaldi with other products that contain the same active ingredient, sofosbuvir.

Adverse Reactions

Many patients are able to take Sovaldi safely without serious side effects.

Some common side effects include tiredness, headache, nausea, diarrhea, itchy skin, difficulty sleeping or irritability. Patients should alert their doctor if any of these persist.

Serious side effects include low blood cell count, which manifests in symptoms like pale skin, unusual tiredness, rapid breathing, shortness of breath and fast heartbeat.

Serious allergic reactions to Sovaldi are rare, yet patients should be aware of allergy symptoms such as rash, itching and swelling, severe dizziness and trouble breathing.

How to Store Sovaldi

Sovaldi should be stored at room temperature away from light or moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep away from children and pets.

Unwanted medication should be disposed of properly and should not be poured into drains or flushed down the toilet. Patients should consult a pharmacist or their local waste disposal company to find out more about safe disposal methods.