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Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B have been reported upon discontinuation of anti-hepatitis B therapy, including entecavir. Hepatic function should be monitored closely for at least several months in patients who discontinue therapy and reinitiation of anti-hepatitis B therapy may be warranted. Entecavir is not recommended in HIV/HBV co-infected patients not treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy because there is potential for the development of resistance to HIV nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogues .
Commonly used brand name(s):
In the U.S.
Available Dosage Forms:
Therapeutic Class: Antiviral
Chemical Class: Guanosine Nucleoside Analog
Entecavir belongs to the family of medicines called antivirals. Antivirals are used to treat infections that are caused by viruses. Entecavir is used to treat the liver infection caused by hepatitis B virus. entecavir will not cure the hepatitis B virus, but it will keep it from reproducing and causing more liver damage.
entecavir is available only with your doctor's prescription.
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 entecavir, the following should be considered:
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to entecavir or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of entecavir in children and teenagers younger than 16 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of entecavir in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney disease, which may require an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving entecavir.
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Pregnancy Category |
Explanation |
All Trimesters |
C |
Animal studies have shown an adverse effect and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR no animal studies have been conducted and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women. |
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
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. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of entecavir. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
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