Tyzeka

Generic name: Telbivudine
Drug class: Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)

Usage of Tyzeka

Tyzeka is an antiviral medicine that prevents a virus from multiplying in the body and infecting new liver cells.

Tyzeka is used to treat chronic hepatitis B (HBV) in people who are at least 16 years old.

Tyzeka will not cure hepatitis.

Tyzeka side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Tyzeka: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Some people develop lactic acidosis while taking telbivudine. Early symptoms may get worse over time and this condition can be fatal. Get emergency medical help if you have even mild symptoms such as:

muscle pain or weakness;

numb or cold feeling in your arms and legs;

trouble breathing;

feeling dizzy, light-headed, tired, or very weak;

stomach pain, nausea with vomiting; or

fast or irregular heart rate.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

numbness, tingling, burning in your arms or legs, trouble walking;

fever, unusual tiredness; or

liver problems - swelling around your midsection, stomach pain, nausea, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Common Tyzeka side effects may include:

headache, dizziness, feeling tired;

fever, cough, sore throat;

muscle or joint pain, back pain;

nausea, stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea;

abnormal liver function tests;

rash; or

sleep problems (insomnia).

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Tyzeka

You should not take Tyzeka if you are allergic to telbivudine, or if you are also using peginterferon alfa-2b (Pegasys).

To make sure Tyzeka is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

kidney disease;

other types of hepatitis (C or D);

a liver transplant;

allergies;

HIV or AIDS;

if you are on a low-salt diet; or

if you have used any hepatitis B medication that did not work well in treating your condition.

Some people taking Tyzeka develop a serious condition called lactic acidosis. This may be more likely in women, in people who are overweight or have liver disease, and in people who have taken HIV/AIDS medication for a long time. Talk with your doctor about your risk.

Tyzeka is not expected to harm an unborn baby. Tyzeka may not keep you from passing hepatitis B to your unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to evaluate any effects of telbivudine on the baby.

It is not known whether telbivudine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.

Tyzeka is not approved for use by anyone younger than 16 years old.

Relate drugs

How to use Tyzeka

Usual Adult Dose for Chronic Hepatitis B:

600 mg orally once a day Duration of therapy: Optimum duration not established Use: For the treatment of chronic HBV infection in patients with evidence of viral replication and either evidence of persistent serum aminotransferase (ALT or AST) elevations or histologically active disease

Usual Pediatric Dose for Chronic Hepatitis B:

16 years or older: 600 mg orally once a day Duration of therapy: Optimum duration not established Use: For the treatment of chronic HBV infection in patients with evidence of viral replication and either evidence of persistent serum aminotransferase (ALT or AST) elevations or histologically active disease

Warnings

Tyzeka may cause a serious condition called lactic acidosis. Get emergency medical help if you have even mild symptoms such as: muscle pain or weakness, numb or cold feeling in your arms and legs, trouble breathing, stomach pain, nausea with vomiting, fast or uneven heart rate, dizziness, or feeling very weak or tired.

Tyzeka can also cause serious liver problems. Call your doctor at once if you have: swelling around your midsection, stomach pain, nausea, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Tyzeka can also cause muscle or nerve problems. Tell your doctor right away if you have numbness, tingling, burning in your arms or legs, trouble walking, or unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness.

If you have hepatitis B you may develop liver symptoms after you stop taking Tyzeka. Your liver function may need to be checked for several months after you stop using telbivudine.

What other drugs will affect Tyzeka

Tyzeka may cause serious muscle problems, especially if you use certain medicines at the same time, such as antibiotics or antifungal medicine, anti-malaria medicine, cholesterol-lowering medicine, a steroid, or medicine to prevent organ transplant rejection.

Tell your doctor if you use an interferon such as Intron A, Rebetron, Rebif, or Roferon-A.

Many drugs can interact with telbivudine. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.