notes
Severe, life-threatining and in some cases fatal heptotoxicity, including fulminant and cholestatic hepatitis, hepttic necrosis and hepatic failure, have been reported in patients treated with nevirapine. The risk is greatest during the first 6 weeks of therapy, and continues through 18 weeks of treatment. However, hepatitic events may occur at any time during the treatment. In some cases patients presented with non-specific prodormal signs or symptoms of fatigue, malaise, anorexia, nausea, jaundice, liver tenderness or hepatomegaly, with or without initially abnormal seum transaminase levels.
Some of these events have progressed to hepatic failure with transaminase elevation, with or without hyperbilirubinase levels, prolonged partial thromboplastin time or eosinophilia. Rash and fever accompanied some of these hepatic events.
Patients with signs or symptoms of hepatitis must be advised to discontinue this medication and immediately seek medical evaluation, which should include liver funstion tests.
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