Fosamprenavir for HIV

About fosamprenavir

Fosamprenavir is an antiretroviral medicine. It is prescribed for infection par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine (VIH). It slows the progress of HIV infection, but it is not a cure. HIV destroys cells in the body, called CD4 T cells. These cells are a type of white blood cell and are important because they are involved in protecting your body from infection. If left untreated, the HIV infection weakens your immune system so that your body cannot defend itself against bacteria, viruses and other germs. Fosamprenavir slows down the progress of HIV infection by reducing the amount of virus in your body. It does this by stopping the production of a protein that the virus needs to copy (replicate) itself.

Fosamprenavir will be prescribed for you by a doctor who is a specialist. It belongs to a group of antiretroviral medicines known as protease inhibitors (PIs). It is given alongside a number of other antiretroviral medicines, as part of a combination therapy. Taking three or more antiretroviral medicines at the same time is more effective than taking one alone. Taking a combination of different medicines also reduces the risk that the virus will become resistant to any individual medicine.

It is vital to take your antiretroviral medicines exactly as prescribed to maintain success and to help to prevent the virus from becoming resistant to the medicines. These medicines are usually taken for life.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking fosamprenavir it is important that your doctor knows:

• Si vous êtes enceinte, essayez d'avoir un bébé ou allaitez.

• If you have diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

• If you have liver inflammation (called hepatitis), or any other liver problem.

• If you have either haemophilia or porphyria, which are both rare inherited blood disorders.

• Si vous prenez d'autres médicaments. Cela inclut tous les médicaments disponibles à l'achat sans ordonnance, ainsi que les médicaments à base de plantes et les médecines complémentaires.

• Si vous avez déjà eu une réaction allergique à un médicament.

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside your pack. It will give you more information about fosamprenavir, and it will also provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

• Take fosamprenavir exactly as your doctor tells you to. It is usual to take two doses each day at the same time as a medicine called ritonavir - take the doses 12 hours apart. The directions for taking the medicine will be printed on the label of the pack to remind you about what the doctor said to you.

• Swallow the tablet whole with a drink of water. Do not crush or break the tablet. You can take fosamprenavir tablets either with or without food.

• Try to take fosamprenavir at the same times of day each day, as this will help you to remember to take it regularly.

• If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember (unless it is nearly time for your next dose, in which case do not take the forgotten dose but take the next dose when it is due). Do not take two doses together to make up for a missed dose.

• Keep your regular appointments with your doctor so that your progress can be monitored. You will need to have regular blood tests to check how well your medicines are working.

• It is important that you continue to take fosamprenavir and your other antiretroviral treatment regularly. This will help to prevent the HIV from becoming resistant to the medicines you are taking. Even if you miss only a small number of doses, the virus can become resistant to treatment.

• If you develop any infection soon after you start this treatment, let your doctor know. As a result of taking fosamprenavir, your immune system may start fighting an infection which was present before you started the treatment, but which you may not have been aware of.

• Suivez attentivement tous les conseils que votre médecin vous donne concernant les changements de mode de vie pour réduire tout risque de dommage à votre cœur et à vos vaisseaux sanguins. Cela peut inclure l'arrêt du tabac, une alimentation saine et la pratique régulière d'exercice physique.

• Certaines personnes prenant des médicaments antirétroviraux développent des modifications de la répartition de la graisse corporelle dans le corps. Cela peut entraîner des changements dans l'image corporelle. Votre médecin discutera de cette possibilité avec vous.

• Bien que le traitement avec des médicaments antirétroviraux puisse réduire le risque de transmission du VIH à d'autres par contact sexuel, il ne l'élimine pas. Il est important d'utiliser des préservatifs.

• It is not uncommon for people with HIV to feel low or even depressed, especially soon after the diagnosis has been made and treatment has been started. If you have any feelings of depression, or any distressing thoughts about harming yourself then you should speak with your doctor immédiatement.

• Certaines personnes qui ont pris des médicaments antirétroviraux (en particulier sur une longue période) ont développé une affection appelée ostéonécrose. Il s'agit d'une maladie osseuse où le tissu osseux meurt en raison d'une réduction de l'apport sanguin. Cela entraîne des douleurs articulaires et une raideur, et peut causer des difficultés de mouvement. Si vous remarquez l'un de ces symptômes, parlez-en à votre médecin.

• If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are suitable to take with fosamprenavir and your other medicines. This is because some remedies interfere with fosamprenavir and stop it from working properly. In particular, do not take the herbal remedy St John's wort.

• If you have diabetes you may need to check your blood sugar (glucose) more frequently, as this medicine can affect the levels of sugar in your blood. Your doctor will advise you about this.

• Si vous subissez une opération ou un traitement dentaire, informez la personne qui effectue le traitement des médicaments que vous prenez.

• Treatment for HIV is usually lifelong. Continue to take fosamprenavir regularly for as long as your doctor tells you to, even if you feel well. This is to keep your immune system healthy.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with fosamprenavir. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Important: although it is common for people taking fosamprenavir to develop a skin rash during the first few weeks of treatment, a severe rash with blisters may be a sign of a more serious allergic-type reaction. Let your doctor know immédiatement if you develop the following:

• Severe blistering rash, high temperature, muscle and joint aches or pains, feeling generally unwell, and mouth ulcers.

Si vous ressentez d'autres symptômes que vous pensez être dus au médicament, parlez-en à votre médecin ou à votre pharmacien pour obtenir des conseils supplémentaires.

• Gardez tous les médicaments hors de la portée et de la vue des enfants.

• Conserver dans un endroit frais et sec, à l'abri de la chaleur et de la lumière directes.