Hepsera

Hepsera is used for:

Treating chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Hepsera is a nucleotide analog. It works by slowing the growth of the virus. It is not a cure for hepatitis B.

Do NOT use Hepsera if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Hepsera
• you have an enlarged liver or high levels of lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidosis)

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Hepsera :

Some medical conditions may interact with Hepsera . Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have a history of kidney problems, liver problems, abnormal liver function tests, or a liver transplant
• if you have HIV infection, are at risk for HIV infection, or are very overweight
• if you have taken lamivudine to treat HBV infection and it stopped working well (lamivudine-resistant HBV)

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Hepsera . Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Nucleoside analogs (eg, didanosine, lamivudine) because risk of lactic acidosis or severe liver problems may be increased
• Medicines that may harm your kidneys (eg, aminoglycosides [eg, gentamicin], amphotericin B, cyclosporine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs] [eg, ibuprofen], tacrolimus, vancomycin) because the risk of severe kidney problems may be increased

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Hepsera may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.