Country: South Africa
Language: English
Source: South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA)
Aspen-p
ASPEN NEVIRAPINE SCHEDULING STATUS: S4 PROPRIETARY NAME (and dosage form): ASPEN NEVIRAPINE 200 mg TABLETS COMPOSITION: Each tablet contains 200 mg nevirapine . WARNING: THE FIRST 18 WEEKS OF THERAPY WITH ASPEN NEVIRAPINE 200 MG IS A CRITICAL PERIOD THAT REQUIRES INTENSIVE MONITORING OF PATIENTS TO IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL APPEARANCE OF SEVERE AND LIFE-THREATENING SKIN REACTIONS (INCLUDING CASES OF STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME AND TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS) OR SERIOUS HEPATITIS/HEPATIC FAILURE. THE GREATEST RISK OF HEPATIC EVENTS AND SKIN REACTIONS OCCURS IN THE FIRST 6 WEEKS OF THERAPY. WOMEN (3,2 FOLD) AND PATIENTS WITH HIGHER CD4+ (WOMEN WITH CD4+ >250, 9,8 FOLD; MEN WITH CD4+ >400, 6,4 FOLD) COUNTS ARE AT INCREASED RISK OF HEPATIC ADVERSE EVENTS. IN ADDITION, THE DOSAGE ESPECIALLY THE 14 DAYS LEAD-IN PERIOD, MUST BE STRICTLY ADHERED TO (SEE ‘DOSAGE AND DIRECTIONS FOR USE’). Cutaneous reactions: Severe and life threatening skin reactions, including fatal cases, have occurred in patients with ASPEN NEVIRAPINE 200 MG. These have included cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and hypersensitivity syndrome characterized by rash, constitutional findings and visceral involvement. Any patient experiencing severe rash or a rash accompanied by constitutional symptoms such as fever, blistering, oral lesions, conjunctivitis, facial oedema, muscle or joint aches, or generalmalaise should discontinue medication and consult a doctor. In these patients ASPEN NEVIRAPINE 200 MG must not berestarted. If patients present with suspected ASPEN NEVIRAPINE 200 MG-associated rash, liver function tests should be performed. Patients with moderate to severe elevations of aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >5 x Upper Limit of Normality (ULN) should Read the complete document