Stavudine pour le VIH

About stavudine

Stavudine 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. Stavudine slows down the progress of HIV infection by reducing the amount of virus in your body. It does this by stopping the virus from copying (replicating) itself.

Stavudine will be prescribed for you by a doctor who is a specialist. It belongs to a group of antiretroviral medicines known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Stavudine will be prescribed for you if other, more usually prescribed NRTIs are not suitable for you. It is usually prescribed for a short time, after which your treatment will most likely be switched to an alternative antiretroviral. 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.

Before taking stavudine

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 stavudine it is important that your doctor knows:

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

• If you have any problems with the way your liver works, or if you have problems with the way your kidneys work.

• If you drink a lot of alcohol.

• If you have ever had inflammation of your pancreas, called pancreatitis.

• If you have ever had peripheral neuropathy. This condition causes tingling or numbness, particularly in your hands or feet.

• 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.

How to take stavudine

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

• Take stavudine exactly as your doctor tells you to. You will be asked to take two doses each day, 12 hours apart. Your doctor will tell you how much you should take for each dose. Your dose will also be printed on the label of the pack to remind you about what the doctor said to you.

• Swallow the capsule with a drink of water. If you (or your child) have difficulties swallowing capsules, you can open the capsule and mix the contents with a little soft food.

• Try to take stavudine at the same times each day, as this will help you to remember to take it regularly. Stavudine should preferably be taken while your stomach is empty, so about an hour before you eat a meal. If this is not possible, it can be taken after a light meal.

• If you forget to take a dose at your usual time, take it as soon as you remember (unless it is nearly time for your next dose, in which case leave out the missed dose and take the next dose as normal). Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

Tirer le meilleur parti de votre traitement

• Gardez vos rendez-vous réguliers avec votre médecin afin que vos progrès puissent être suivis. Vous devrez effectuer des analyses de sang régulières pour vérifier l'efficacité de vos médicaments.

• It is important that you continue to take stavudine 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 an infection soon after you start the treatment, let your doctor know. As a result of taking stavudine, 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.

• Il n'est pas rare que les personnes vivant avec le VIH se sentent déprimées ou même dépressives, surtout peu de temps après le diagnostic et le début du traitement. Si vous ressentez des symptômes de dépression ou avez des pensées inquiétantes concernant l'automutilation, vous devriez en parler à votre médecin immédiatement.

• Stavudine has been associated with a serious side-effect in some people who have taken it. This is known as lactic acidosis. It is a problem where there is too much lactic acid in the blood. The symptoms associated with it are listed in the next section 'Can stavudine cause problems?'. If you develop any of the symptoms listed below, you must let your doctor know immédiatement, as they can worsen, and may even become life-threatening.

• 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, supplements or herbal remedies 'over the counter', check with a pharmacist that they are suitable to take with stavudine and your other medicines. This is because some medicines interfere with antiretrovirals and can stop them from working properly.

• 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 stavudine regularly for as long as your doctor tells you to, even if you feel well. This is to keep your immune system healthy.

Can stavudine cause problems?

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 stavudine. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. You should, however, speak with your doctor if you develop any of the following side-effects. This is because some of the common side-effects of stavudine are similar to the symptoms of lactic acidosis - a less common but more serious problem.

Your doctor will discuss with you the possibility of lactic acidosis occurring. Let your doctor know straightaway if you develop any of the following symptoms:

• Feeling sick or being sick (vomiting), tummy pain, loss of appetite, loss of weight, feeling weak or dizzy, and fast or gasping breathing.

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.

How to store stavudine

• 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.

Informations importantes sur tous les médicaments