אמטריציטאבין ל-HIV

About emtricitabine

Emtricitabine is an antiretroviral medicine. It is used for זיהום בנגיף הכשל החיסוני האנושי (HIV). It slows the progress of HIV infection, but it is not a cure. HIV destroys cells in the body, called CD4 T cells. These cells are a type of white blood cell and are important because they are involved in protecting your body from infection. If left untreated, the HIV infection weakens your immune system so that your body cannot defend itself against bacteria, viruses and other germs. Emtricitabine slows down the progress of HIV infection by reducing the amount of virus in your body. It does this by stopping the virus from copying (replicating) itself.

Emtricitabine will be prescribed for you by a doctor who is a specialist. It belongs to a group of antiretroviral medicines known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). It is given alongside a number of other antiretroviral medicines, as part of a combination therapy. Taking three or more antiretroviral medicines at the same time is more effective than taking one alone. Taking a combination of different medicines also reduces the risk that the virus will become resistant to any individual medicine. Some brands of emtricitabine contain other antiretroviral medicines also (see the list in the table above). Taking one of these brands helps to reduce the number of tablets you need to take each day. Not all of the information in this leaflet applies to the combination brands - please refer to the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack for full details about these brands.

חשוב מאוד לקחת את התרופות האנטי-רטרו-ויראליות שלך בדיוק כפי שנרשמו כדי לשמור על הצלחה ולעזור למנוע מהווירוס לפתח עמידות לתרופות. תרופות אלו נלקחות בדרך כלל לכל החיים.

Before taking emtricitabine

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking emtricitabine it is important that your doctor knows:

• אם את בהריון, מנסה להיכנס להריון או מניקה.

• If you have any problems with the way your liver works, or if you have problems with the way your kidneys work.

• If you drink a lot of alcohol.

• אם אתה נוטל תרופות אחרות כלשהן. זה כולל כל תרופה שניתן לרכוש ללא מרשם, כמו גם תרופות צמחיות ומשלימות.

• אם אי פעם הייתה לך תגובה אלרגית לתרופה.

How to take emtricitabine

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside your pack. It will give you more information about emtricitabine, and it will also provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

• Take emtricitabine exactly as your doctor tells you to. It is taken once daily. Adults will usually be prescribed capsules/tablets to take, whereas children are likely to be supplied with liquid medicine (Emtriva® Oral Solution). Your doctor will tell you how much you should take for each dose.

• Try to take emtricitabine at the same time of day each day, as this will help you to remember to take it regularly. You can take emtricitabine either with or without food.

• If for any reason you are sick (vomit) within one hour of taking emtricitabine, you should take another dose. This is because the medicine will not have been absorbed by your body. If, however, you are sick more than one hour after taking a dose, there is no need to repeat the dose, as the medicine will already have been absorbed.

• If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember, providing it is within 12 hours of the time you should have taken it. If when you remember, it is more than 12 hours late, do not take the dose you missed but do remember to take your next dose when it is due. Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

להפיק את המרב מהטיפול שלך

• Keep your regular appointments with your doctor so that your progress can be monitored. You are likely to need regular blood tests to check how well your medicines are working.

• It is important that you continue to take emtricitabine and your other antiretroviral treatment regularly. This will help to prevent the HIV from becoming resistant to the medicines you are taking. Even if you miss only a small number of doses, the virus can become resistant to treatment.

• If you develop an infection soon after you start the treatment, let your doctor know. As a result of taking emtricitabine, your immune system may start fighting an infection which was present before you started the treatment, but which you may not have been aware of.

• עקוב בקפידה אחר כל עצה שהרופא שלך נותן לך לגבי ביצוע שינויים באורח החיים כדי להפחית כל סיכון לנזק ללב ולכלי הדם שלך. אלה יכולים לכלול הפסקת עישון, אכילה בריאה ופעילות גופנית סדירה.

• חלק מהאנשים הנוטלים תרופות אנטי-רטרו-ויראליות מפתחים שינויים באופן שבו השומן בגוף מתפזר. זה יכול לגרום לשינויים בתדמית הגוף. הרופא שלך ידון איתך באפשרות זו.

• למרות שטיפול בתרופות אנטי-רטרו-ויראליות עשוי להפחית את הסיכון להעברת HIV לאחרים דרך מגע מיני, הוא אינו מונע זאת לחלוטין. חשוב להשתמש בקונדומים.

• זה לא נדיר שאנשים עם HIV מרגישים ירודים או אפילו מדוכאים, במיוחד זמן קצר לאחר האבחנה והתחלת הטיפול. אם יש לך תחושות של דיכאון או מחשבות מטרידות על פגיעה בעצמך, עליך לדבר עם הרופא שלך מייד.

• חלק מהאנשים שלקחו תרופות אנטי-רטרו-ויראליות (במיוחד לאורך זמן רב) פיתחו מצב שנקרא אוסטאונקרוזיס. זו מחלת עצם שבה רקמת העצם מתה בגלל שיש לה אספקת דם מופחתת. זה מוביל לכאבי מפרקים ונוקשות, ויכול לגרום לקשיים בתנועה. אם אתה מבחין באחד מהתסמינים הללו, פנה לרופא שלך.

• Emtricitabine has been associated with a serious side-effect in some people who have taken it. This is known as lactic acidosis. It is a problem where there is too much lactic acid in the blood. The symptoms associated with it are listed in the next section 'Can emtricitabine cause problems?'. If you develop any of the symptoms listed below, you must let your doctor know מייד, as they can worsen, and may even become life-threatening.

• If you buy any medicines, supplements or herbal remedies 'over the counter', check with a pharmacist that they are suitable to take with emtricitabine and your other medicines. This is because some medicines interfere with antiretrovirals and can stop them from working properly.

• אם אתה עובר ניתוח או טיפול שיניים, אמור לאדם שמבצע את הטיפול אילו תרופות אתה נוטל.

• Treatment for HIV is usually lifelong. Continue to take emtricitabine regularly, even if you feel well. This is to keep your immune system healthy.

Can emtricitabine cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with emtricitabine. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. You should, however, speak with your doctor if you develop any of the following side-effects. This is because some of the common side-effects of emtricitabine are similar to the symptoms of lactic acidosis - a less common but more serious problem.

Your doctor will discuss with you the possibility of lactic acidosis occurring. Let your doctor know straightaway if you develop any of the following symptoms:

• תחושת בחילה או הקאה, כאבי בטן, אובדן תיאבון, ירידה במשקל, תחושת חולשה או סחרחורת, ונשימה מהירה או מתנשפת.

אם אתה חווה תסמינים נוספים שלדעתך עשויים להיות כתוצאה מהתרופה, פנה לרופא או לרוקח שלך לקבלת ייעוץ נוסף.

How to store emtricitabine

• שמור את כל התרופות מחוץ להישג ידם וראייתם של ילדים.

• יש לאחסן במקום קריר ויבש, הרחק מחום ואור ישיר.

• Store unopened bottles of emtricitabine liquid medicine in a refrigerator. Once a bottle has been opened it can be stored out of the refrigerator, but it must be in a cool place. Opened bottles keep for 45 days - after this time, make sure you have a fresh supply.

מידע חשוב על כל התרופות