Lexiva® (Fosamprenavir or Telzir)
Who should take this?
Most people who have HIV infection can take Lexiva. It sometimes continues to work to fight HIV infection when a person has developed a drug resistance to other protease inhibitors. It should not be taken by women who are pregnant or who expect to become pregnant because it can harm the unborn fetus.
How is it taken? / Dosage
Because fosamprenavir is dissolved faster in water than amprenavir, patients can take fewer pills and still achieve the same results as with amprenavir.
Fosamprenavir comes as tablet. It is taken by mouth with or without food once or twice a day. It should be taken with a full glass of water. People who like grapefruit juice should talk to a doctor about drinking it while taking Lexiva. (Grapefruit juice can make some drugs less effective.)
Lexiva is used with at least two other anti-HIV drugs. Most patients taking Lexiva also take low doses of Norvir®. Norvir boosts the amount of Lexiva that gets into the blood stream. This makes the drug more powerful in fighting HIV.
It is important to take Lexiva exactly as the doctor orders. Don’t forget to take doses. Don’t take more or less of the drug than the doctor has ordered. This helps prevent drug resistance and provides the best control of the HIV infection.
Side Effects
Many drugs cause side effects. Some of the side effects that Lexiva can cause include:
- Changes in where fat is on the body. This may include pads of fat on the back of the neck, the breasts and belly with a loss of fat from the face, arms and legs. This is not unusual when taking protease inhibitors.
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Nausea
- Thirstiness and a need to go to the bathroom often. (This may be a sign of high blood sugar.)
- Tiredness
- Vomiting
A person who has any of these or other side effects should talk to a doctor if they seem unusual or especially troubling.
A person taking Lexiva should talk to a doctor right away if he or she develops any of the following:
- A skin rash that is red, blistering and peeling
- Confusion
- Dark colored urine
- Fever
- Pale or yellowed skin
- Weakness
In rare cases, a person may be allergic to a drug or combination of drugs. Difficulty breathing or swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat may be signs of an allergic reaction. Get medical help right away if any of these occur.
Drug Interactions
(4,000 character max limit)
Resistance
As HIV copies itself and multiplies, changes As HIV copies itself and multiplies, changes sometimes happen in the new HIV copies. These are called mutations. When this happens, drugs that once were effective against HIV no longer are. The virus has found a way to grow even when the drug is taken properly. Signs of resistance are an HIV viral load that doesn’t drop.
When the virus changes, it is sometimes able to resist certain antiretroviral drugs. This is called drug resistance. Sometimes when the virus develops a resistance to one drug, it may also resist the effects of other antiretroviral drugs in the same class. This is called cross-resistance.
A person with HIV who develops a resistance to other protease inhibitors may still be able to take amprenavir effectively against HIV.
A drug resistance can develop quickly. The best way to prevent drug resistance is to take antiretroviral drugs as instructed and on schedule. This will make opportunistic infections less likely. It will also improve quality and length of life.
