VIRAMUNE
General description

Viramune is the brand name for the drug nevirapine, produced by Roxane Laboratories. It is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that acts against HIV-1. It is available in tablet form.

Mechanism

Nevirapine binds drectly to reverse transcriptase and blocks RNA-dependent and DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activities by disrupting the enzyme's catalytic site.

Indications

Viramune is indicated for treatment of HIV in combination with other antiretroviral agents

Usage/Dosage

The recommended dosage is one 200 mg tablet daily for the first 14 days, followed by one 200 mg tablet twice daily in combination with other antiretroviral agents. If a severe rash or moderate to severe liver dysfunctyion is experienced, treatment with Viramune should be halted immediately.

Precautions

There are presently no studies evaluating the efficacy of Viramune on the clinical progression of HIV, including survival and susceptibility to opprotunistic infections. Nevirapine relies on the kidneys and liver for clearance, but there are no present studies evaluating dosage reductions in patients with renal or hepatic impairments. These patients should be monitored closely during treatment. Viramume is also known to cause potentially life-threatening sin reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis as well as severe or life-threatening hepatic toxicity. Patients should be informed that Viramune is not a cure for HIV. It is possible that patients will still be susceptible to illnesses associated with HIV disease progression, including opportunistic infection, and they can still transmit the virus to other people.

Contraindications

Viramune is contraindicated for patients with known hypersensitivity to any of the drug components. It should not be used concomitantly with keoconazole.

Potential Adverse Effects

The most frequently reported adverse effects have been rash, fever, nasuea, headache, and abnormal liver function tests.