Lamivudine and Zidovudine (Systemic)

Brand name(s): Combivir

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For lamivudine and zidovudine combination, the following should be considered:

Allergies-Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to lamivudine or zidovudine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy-Lamivudine and zidovudine combination has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that zidovudine causes birth defects when given in very high doses. Before taking this lamivudine and zidovudine combination, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding-Zidovudine passes into breast milk. It is not known whether lamivudine passes into breast milk. However, if your baby does not already have the AIDS virus, there is a chance that you could pass it to your baby by breast-feeding. Talk to your doctor first if you are thinking about breast-feeding your baby.

Children-Either lamivudine or zidovudine used alone may cause serious side effects, and children should receive less of these medicines than adults. However, lamivudine and zidovudine combination contains a fixed amount of each medicine that cannot be decreased. Therefore, lamivudine and zidovudine combination is not recommended for children less than 12 years of age, or children who weigh less than 50 kilograms (110 pounds) because the amounts of lamivudine and zidovudine in this product cannot be adjusted for smaller body sizes.

Older adults-Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. Many older people have problems with their liver, heart and kidneys. Your doctor may change the amount of medicine you take because of other health problems.

Other medicines-Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking lamivudine and zidovudine combination, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Abacavir/lamivudine/zidovudine combination (e.g., Trizivir) or
• Lamivudine (e.g., Epivir) or
• Zidovudine (e.g., Retrovir)-Using products containing additional lamivudine or zidovudine with the combination product may increase the chance of side effects of lamivudine or zidovudine

• Amphotericin B by injection (e.g., Fungizone) or
• Antineoplastics (cancer medicine) or
• Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Clozapine (e.g., Clozaril) or
• Colchicine or
• Didanosine (e.g., Videx) or
• Eflornithine (e.g., Ornidyl) or
• Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
• Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
• Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A)
• Uracil mustard-Taking lamivudine and zidovudine combination while you are using or receiving these medicines may make anemia or other blood problems worse

• Doxorubicin (e.g., Adriamycin) or
• Ribavirin (e.g., Copegus, Rebetol) or
• Stavudine (e.g., Zerit)-Should not be used with lamivudine and zidovudine combination; may prevent medicine from working properly

Other medical problems-The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of lamivudine and zidovudine combination. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Blood problems, including decreased bone marrow production-Lamivudine and zidovudine combination may make these conditions worse

• Infection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) at the same time-This medicine could make your hepatitis worse or prevent the medicine from working properly.

• Kidney disease-Patients with kidney disease may experience an increase in side effects

• Liver disease or
• Risk factors for liver disease or
• Obesity (being overweight) or
• Use of other HIV medicines over a long period of time-This medicine may make liver disease worse in patients with liver disease, obesity or other HIV medicine use.

Last Revised: 10/27/2004