What is stavudine?
Stavudine is an antiviral medication that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells
from multiplying in your body.
Stavudine is used to treat HIV, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Stavudine is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.
Stavudine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking stavudine?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to stavudine.
If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take
this medication. Before taking stavudine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
Some people have developed a life-threatening condition called lactic
acidosis while taking stavudine. You may be more likely to develop lactic acidosis if you are
overweight or have liver disease, if you are a woman, or if you have taken certain HIV or AIDS
medications for a long time. Talk with your doctor about your individual risk.
Stavudine can also cause severe or life-threatening effects on your liver or pancreas. Call
your doctor at once if you have any of these symptoms while taking stavudine: severe pain in your
upper stomach spreading to your back, fast heart rate, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite,
low fever, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether this medication is harmful to an
unborn baby. HIV can be passed to the baby if the mother is not properly treated during pregnancy.
Stavudine may also be more likely to cause lactic acidosis in a pregnant woman. Tell your doctor if you
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Take all of your HIV medicines as directed
to control your infection while you are pregnant.
Your name may need to be listed on an antiviral pregnancy registry when you start using
stavudine. The purpose of this registry is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and delivery to
evaluate whether stavudine had any effect on the baby.
You should not breast-feed while you are using stavudine. Women with HIV or AIDS
should not breast-feed at all. Even if your baby is born without HIV, you may still pass the virus to the
baby in your breast milk.
If you have diabetes, you should know that the liquid form of this medication contains 50
milligrams (mg) of sucrose (sugar) per milliliter (mL). This is equal to 250 milligrams of sugar per
teaspoon (5 mL) of stavudine liquid.
How should I take stavudine?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger
amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your
prescription label.
This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these
directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Take stavudine with a full glass of water.
Stavudine can be taken with or without food.
Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just before you measure a dose. To be sure you get
the correct dose, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular
table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
It is important to use stavudine regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled
before you run out of medicine completely.
HIV/AIDS is usually treated with a combination of different drugs. To best treat your condition,
use all of your medications as directed by your doctor. Be sure to read the medication guide or patient
instructions provided with each of your medications. Do not change your doses or medication schedule
without advice from your doctor. Every person with HIV or AIDS should remain under the care of a
doctor.
To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood will need to be tested on a
regular basis. Your liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any visits to your doctor.
Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep the bottle
tightly closed.
Keep the oral liquid in the refrigerator but do not let it freeze. Throw away any leftover
medication after 30 days.
Throw away any unused or expired stavudine in a closed container or sealed bag. You may
also ask your pharmacist where to locate a community pharmaceutical take-back disposal program.
What happens if I miss a dose of stavudine?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the
missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time.
Do not
take
extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Where can I get more information about stavudine?
Your pharmacist has information about stavudine written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of stavudine?
Stop using stavudine and get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue,
or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these other serious side effects:
-
liver damage - nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite,
dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
-
lactic acidosis - muscle pain or weakness, numb or cold
feeling in your arms and legs, trouble breathing, nausea with vomiting, fast or uneven heart rate,
dizziness, or feeling very weak or tired;
-
pancreatitis - severe pain in your upper stomach spreading
to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate;
-
peripheral neuropathy - numbness, tingling, or pain in your
hands or feet;
-
high blood sugar - increased thirst, fruity breath odor,
increased urination, drowsiness, dry skin, nausea, and vomiting; or
-
any signs of infection such as fever, chills, sore throat, flu
symptoms, easy bruising or bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums), mouth sores, or unusual
weakness.
Less serious side effects may include:
-
diarrhea;
-
muscle pain;
-
headache;
-
mild skin rash; or
-
changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in
your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and trunk).
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your
doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at
1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about stavudine?
Some people have developed a life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis while taking
stavudine. Early signs of lactic acidosis generally get worse over time and this condition can be fatal.
Get emergency medical help if you have even mild symptoms of lactic acidosis, such
as:
muscle pain or weakness, numb or cold feeling in your arms and legs, trouble breathing,
stomach pain, nausea with vomiting, fast or uneven heart rate, dizziness, or feeling very weak or tired.
Stavudine can also cause severe or life-threatening effects on your liver or pancreas. Call
your doctor at once if you have any of these symptoms while taking stavudine: severe pain in your
upper stomach spreading to your back, fast heart rate, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite,
low fever, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Before taking stavudine, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease, liver disease, a history
of pancreatitis, or if you have used a medicine similar to stavudine in the past, such as abacavir
(Ziagen), didanosine (Videx), lamivudine (Epivir), tenofovir (Viread), zalcitabine (Hivid), or zidovudine
(Retrovir).
What should I avoid while taking stavudine?
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking stavudine. Alcohol may increase the risk of damage to
the pancreas and/or liver.
Taking stavudine will not prevent you from passing HIV to other people through unprotected
sex or sharing of needles. Talk with your doctor about safe methods of preventing HIV transmission
during sex. Sharing drug or medicine needles is never safe, even for a healthy person.
What other drugs will affect stavudine?
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
-
didanosine (Videx);
-
doxorubicin (Adriamycin);
-
hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea);
-
interferon-alfa (Roferon, Intron, Rebetron);
-
ribavirin (Rebetol, Ribasphere, Copegus Virazole); or
-
zidovudine (Retrovir).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with
stavudine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This
includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using
a new medication without telling your doctor.
What happens if I have an overdose of stavudine?