Ziagen (abacavir): new warning on restarting.
It has long been known that this drug must never be restarted after it has been discontinued because of a hypersensitivity reaction. Now the manufacturer, Glaxo Wellcome, has warned physicians that serious complications have developed in some cases where the drug had been discontinued for other reasons, but where a hypersensitivity reaction may have occurred without being recognized. The letter, reproduced below, outlines precautions for physicians. Patients who have missed more than one or two doses should always check with their physician before restarting this drug.
D015224:Dideoxynucleosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000099227:Abacavir
D015224:Dideoxynucleosides; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D000099227:Abacavir