Viramune Helps Treat the Following Conditions:

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system and weakens the body’s natural ability to fight illness. Diagnosing HIV is done through a blood test. Patients who receive fast and appropriate treatment can enjoy an excellent quality of life. If left untreated, HIV can progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Viramune Active Ingredient

Generic Viramune Alternative: Viramune

Viramune contains the active ingredient nevirapine belongs to a class of drugs known as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs).

General Drug Information

What is Viramune and What Is It Used For?

Viramune is prescribed to HIV patients in order to improve the quality of life and to lower the chance of new infections and cancer. It is usually to be taken in combination with other medications.

Viramune is not a cure for HIV. Patients must take precautions to ensure they do not spread the virus to others. This means taking Viramune and other HIV medications exactly as prescribed, and using reliable protection methods when engaging in sexual activity. Patients should not share personal items that may have been in contact with blood or other bodily fluids.

Viramune should not be used to prevent HIV infection after accidental exposure.

Usage and Application

In some patients, Viramune has caused severe and fatal liver problems. It is important to monitor for symptoms of liver disease: persistent nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, stomach pain, dark urine, pale stools, yellowing eyes and skin, unusual tiredness, and rash.

In rare cases, Viramune has caused serious allergic reactions with symptoms including rash, blisters, fever, persistent sore throat and itching, swelling/redness of the eyes and face. Additional symptoms include tiredness, mouth sores, severe dizziness, and trouble breathing. The allergy may also manifest as muscle pain, joint pain, and changes in the amount of urine.

Women are more at risk of developing severe reactions. To help reduce the likelihood of allergy, patients usually start taking Viramune at lower doses for the first 14 days of treatment.

Patients who have had to stop Viramune treatment due to severe allergic reactions should never take this medication again.

People with higher T-cell counts at the start of treatment are at greater risk for liver problems. Viramune treatment is usually only started if the T-cell count is fewer than 250 in women and 400 in men.

There is a high risk of serious side effects in the first 18 weeks of treatment and is highest during the first six weeks. However, these side effects may occur at any time. Patients should keep all medical and laboratory appointments so that their response to treatment is properly monitored.

Considerations Before Taking Viramune

Viramune should be taken as prescribed by a patient’s doctor. The dose is dependent on the patient’s medical condition and response to treatment. In children, the dose is also based on body size.

Patients should inform their physician about all prescription drugs and supplements they are taking.

For the first 14 days, most patients are prescribed one daily oral dose with or without food. Following the initial period, Viramune is taken twice a day.

Patients using the liquid suspension form of Viramune should shake the bottle gently before each dose. A special measuring device is needed to administer doses, as a household spoon cannot ensure a correct dose. Patients using a dosing cup should rinse it with water after taking the medication, and drink all of that water to ensure a full dose.

If patients develop liver problems or allergic reactions when taking Viramune once daily, they should seek immediate medical help. They should not increase their dosage to twice daily.

It is not possible to stay on the once-daily dosing schedule for more than 28 days. Patients approaching this period – and who cannot tolerate higher doses – are usually switched to another medication.

It is important to take Viramune and other HIV medications exactly as prescribed by a doctor. Patients should not skip any doses, increase their dose, or take Viramune more often than prescribed. Doing so may make the infection more difficult to treat or may worsen side effects.

Patients should not stop taking Viramune, even for a short time, unless directed to do so by their doctor. Those who have stopped the medicine for more than seven days (for reasons other than the serious reactions described in the Warning Section) should ask their doctor how to safely restart treatment.

Viramune works best when taken at evenly-spaced intervals as drug levels in the body need to be constant. To help patients remember, Viramune should be taken at the same time each day.

Precautions

Patients need to discuss the possibility of allergic reactions to Viramune before starting treatment.

It is vital to discuss the patient’s medical history, especially any liver problems like cirrhosis, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Patients should also mention a history of kidney dialysis, as well as an intolerance to lactose or galactose.

Viramune may cause dizziness, drowsiness, and trouble concentrating. While taking this medication, patients should not drive, use machinery, or perform other tasks requiring clear vision or alertness until the effects if the medication is known. Alcoholic beverages should be limited. Patients using marijuana should discuss this with their doctor.

Women who are pregnant – or planning to become pregnant – need to discuss the risks and benefits of taking Viramune with their doctor. Treatment can lower the risk of passing HIV to an unborn baby.

HIV-positive mothers should not breastfeed as this can transmit the virus to their babies. Viramune passes into breast milk.

Delayed and Omitted Doses

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

Other Medications and Viramune

Drug interactions may change the way Viramune works 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.

Certain medications, like the weight-loss drug Xenical and antibiotic Mycobutin, may negatively affect the way Viramune works. Coumadin, a blood thinner, has a similar effect. Other HIV drugs like atazanavir and ritonavir may also interact with Viramune.

Some antibiotics like rifampin, as well as St. John’s wort, affect the removal of Viramune from the body, which may change its effect.

Viramune affects the removal of certain drugs from the body, affecting how they work. Examples include amiodarone (used to restore normal heart rhythm), the hepatitis C drugs asunaprevir, telaprevir, and boceprevir; and antifungal medications such as itraconazole and ketoconazole.

The list also includes cobicistat and elvitegravir, which are used in HIV combination medications.

Additionally, Viramune negatively interacts with some drugs like clonazepam (used to treat seizures), macrolide antibiotics like clarithromycin, and the opioid pain reliever methadone.

Patients should not use the corticosteroid prednisone in order to prevent rash, as it can increase the risk of a rash during the first six weeks of Viramune treatment.

Viramune may affect the effectiveness of hormonal birth control. Female patients should inform their doctor in the event of any spotting or breakthrough bleedings, as these are signs that hormonal birth control may not be working well.

Adverse Reactions

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

Some patients may experience tiredness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and drowsiness.

Viramune is designed to improve immune system function so the body can fight HIV more effectively. As the immune system gets stronger, it can begin to fight infections patients already have, causing symptoms of latent infections to manifest.

It is also possible that a patient’s immune system may become overactive. Patients should seek medical help if they experience unexplained weight loss, severe tiredness, joint pain, persisting muscle weakness, and persistent, severe headaches.

Additional symptoms may include numbness or tingling of the extremities, vision changes, and signs of infection such as chills, swollen lymph nodes, trouble breathing, coughing, and skin sores that don’t heal.

An overactive thyroid can be an additional symptom of immune function hyperfunction. Symptoms may include irritability, nervousness, heat intolerance, irregular heartbeat, bulging eyes, and an unusual growth in the neck (known as a goiter).

Patients should also monitor for signs of a certain kind of nerve condition, known as Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can include trouble breathing, swallowing, facial drooping, paralysis, and trouble speaking.

Viramune may cause a rash which is often common and not serious. However, patients may have difficulty telling it apart from a rare rash that often signifies severe reaction.

It is important to seek immediate medical help if a rash is accompanied by fever, tiredness, muscle and joint pain, blisters, mouth sores, and red or swollen eyes.

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

How to Store Viramune

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

Unwanted medication 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.