Tafecta

Description

Tafecta Tablet: Your Guide to Use

Tafecta Tablet is an antiviral medication used to treat HIV-1 infection and chronic hepatitis B. For HIV-1, it is always used in combination with other anti-retroviral agents.

How to Use

Tafecta Tablet can be taken with or without food. It’s best to take it consistently, either always with food or always without food, to maintain steady levels in your body.

Adult Dosing:

• Chronic Hepatitis B & HIV-1 Infection:
  • 300 mg once daily.

Child Dosing:

• HIV-1 Infection:
  • Under 2 years: Safety and effectiveness have not been established.
  • Over 2 years: 8 mg per kg of body weight by mouth once daily.
  • Do not exceed 300 mg per day.
• Hepatitis B Infection:
  • Under 12 years: Safety and effectiveness have not been established.
  • Over 12 years and under 35 kg: Safety and effectiveness have not been established.
  • Over 12 years and over 35 kg: 300 mg by mouth once daily.

Special Dosing for Kidney Impairment

If you have kidney problems, your doctor will adjust your dose.

HIV Infection & Chronic Hepatitis B with Kidney Impairment:

Important Considerations

Do Not Use If:

• You have a known hypersensitivity or allergy to Tenofovir or any ingredient in Tafecta Tablet.

Precautions:

• Liver Health: Use with caution if you have liver enlargement (hepatomegaly) or other risk factors for liver disease. Your liver function will be monitored for several months after stopping the medication.
• Kidney Impairment: Use with caution if you have kidney problems. Your kidney function and serum phosphate levels will be monitored before starting therapy, weekly for the first week, and then every 3 months.
• HIV Status: If you have hepatitis B, your doctor will determine your HIV status before starting treatment with Tafecta Tablet.
• Pregnancy: Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor if you are pregnant.
• Dizziness: This medication may cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate machinery if you feel dizzy.
• Breastfeeding: HIV-positive women are advised not to breastfeed to prevent the risk of transmitting HIV to the baby.

Interactions:

It’s crucial to tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking, including over-the-counter drugs and herbal supplements.

• Atazanavir: Tenofovir can decrease atazanavir concentrations unless ritonavir is also given.
• Drugs Eliminated by Active Tubular Secretion: Taking Tafecta with drugs eliminated by active tubular secretion may increase the serum concentration of Tafecta or the co-administered drug.
• Potentially Fatal Interactions:
  • Nephrotoxic Agents: Avoid recent or concurrent use with medications that can harm the kidneys (e.g., aminoglycosides, amphotericin B, foscarnet, ganciclovir, pentamidine, vancomycin, cidofovir, or interleukin-2). If unavoidable, your kidney function should be monitored weekly.
  • Didanosine: Avoid concurrent use with didanosine, as it can increase didanosine levels, leading to a higher risk of pancreatitis and peripheral neuropathy, and a high rate of treatment failure.

Potential Side Effects

While taking Tafecta Tablet, you might experience some side effects.

Very Common (More than 10%):

• Weakness/lack of energy (asthenia) (11%)
• Diarrhea (16%)
• Nausea (11%)
• Pain (12%)

Common (1-10%):

• Loss of appetite (anorexia)
• Depression
• Muscle pain (myalgia)
• Nerve problems (peripheral neuropathy)
• Indigestion (dyspepsia)
• Rash
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Flatulence
• Abdominal pain
• Low white blood cell count (neutropenia)
• Increased liver enzymes (transaminases)

How It Works

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is a “prodrug,” meaning it’s converted into the active drug, tenofovir, inside your body. Tenofovir is a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Once activated, it inhibits the activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, an enzyme essential for HIV to multiply. It also inhibits the activity of the hepatitis B virus polymerase. By blocking these enzymes, Tafecta helps to stop the viruses from replicating.

Additional Information

Tafecta 25mg Tablet is manufactured by Beacon Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Its generic name is Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate, and it is available in Nepal.