Adefovir

Adefovir is a prescription medication used for the treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B

• Adefovir is available under the following different brand names: Adefovir dipivoxil, Hepsera 

Common side effects of Adefovir include:

• stomach pain
• nausea
• weakness
• headache

Serious side effects of Adefovir include:

• hives
• difficulty breathing
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• unusual muscle pain
• trouble breathing
• stomach pain
• vomiting
• irregular heart rate
• dizziness
• cold feeling
• feeling very weak
• tiredness
• little or no urination
• swelling in the feet or ankles
• shortness of breath
• nausea
• loss of appetite
• stomach pain (upper right side)
• dark urine
• yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)

Rare side effects of Adefovir include:

• none 

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors;
• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
• Serious heart symptoms include fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in the chest; shortness of breath; sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out.

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur as a result of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Adult and pediatric dosage

Tablet

• 10 mg

Chronic Hepatitis B

Adult dosage

• 10 mg orally once a day

Pediatric dosage

• Below 12 years old: Not recommended
• Above12 years old: Administer as in adults, 10 mg orally once a day

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first.

• Adefovir has severe interactions with no other drugs.
• Adefovir has serious interactions with the following drugs:
  • bacitracin
  • pretomanid
  • tenofovir DF
• Adefovir has moderate interactions with the following drugs.
  • amikacin
  • amphotericin B deoxycholate
  • cabozantinib
  • capreomycin
  • carboplatin
  • cidofovir
  • cisplatin
  • contrast media (iodinated)
  • cyclosporine
  • elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir DF
  • emtricitabine
  • ioversol
  • neomycin PO
  • oxaliplatin
  • peramivir
  • streptozocin
  • tacrolimus
  • teicoplanin
  • voclosporin
• Adefovir has minor interactions with the following drugs:
  • acyclovir
  • cephaloridine
  • colistin
  • foscarnet
  • gentamicin
  • ibuprofen
  • ibuprofen IV
  • methoxyflurane
  • paromomycin
  • pentamidine
  • polymyxin B
  • streptomycin
  • tobramycin
  • vancomycin

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your healthcare professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity
• Concurrent use with products containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate or tenofovir alafenamide

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Adefovir?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Adefovir?”

Cautions

• Discontinuation may result in severe acute exacerbation of hepatitis B
• Patients who discontinue treatment: Monitor hepatic function for several months.
• Patients with renal dysfunction: Risk of nephrotoxicity (monitor and adjust dose accordingly)
• Coadministration with drugs that reduce renal function may increase adefovir serum concentration.
• Do not administer with tenofovir (additive toxicity)
• May increase HIV resistance in untreated patients who are HIV+
• Risk of lactic acidosis, severe hepatomegaly with steatosis
• To monitor fetal outcomes, Pregnancy Registry established: 1-800-258-4263

Pregnancy and Lactation

• There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed during pregnancy; healthcare providers are encouraged to register patients by calling Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry (APR) at 1-800-258- 4263
• Prospective pregnancy data from APR are not sufficient to adequately assess the risk of birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes; adefovir disoproxil (ADV) use during pregnancy has been evaluated in a limited number of individuals reported to APR, and the number of exposures to adefovir is insufficient to make a risk assessment compared to a reference population; estimated background rate for major birth defects is 2.7% in the U.S. reference population of Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program (MACDP); estimated rate of miscarriage is not reported in APR; all pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes
• Lactation
  • It is not known whether adefovir is present in human breast milk, affects human milk production, or has effects on the breastfed infant.
  • The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for therapy and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from the drug or the underlying maternal condition.