Abakast-L

All you need to know about Abakast-L (Abacavir 600 mg + Lamivudine 300 mg)

Abakast-L (Abacavir 600 mg + Lamivudine 300 mg) acts as an antiviral drug that helps in the prevention of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections. It is also capable of preventing HIV-1. It mainly performs as a reverse transcriptase inhibiting action. The drug is consumed orally. It is supposed to inhibit the action of HIV’s reverse transcriptase enzyme, so it is an event that leads to the termination of the chain and also helps to interrupt the viral replication cycle. It is a drug-coated in a sunset yellow color and is known by the common name, Abacavir.

Administration of Abakast-L (Abacavir 600 mg + Lamivudine 300 mg)

The drug is consumed orally and is completely absorbed, showing a bioavailability of nearly 83%. The mean to maximum concentrations of serum has been recorded for about an hour. In the case of Lamivudine, the bioavailability was shown to be up to 80%. The same mean to the maximum serum concentration of one hour was observed. Delayed food absorption and the decrease in Cmax hardly had any effect on the plasma concentration. Therefore, there is no condition regarding the food intake that affects the absorption of the drug, so the drug can be taken without food. The drug has shown good penetration into the cerebrospinal fluid. The CSF to plasma AUC ratio has been observed in the range of 30-44%. The metabolism of the drug is performed by the action of the liver. Less than 2% of the dose will be really excreted in the form of the unchanged compound. The basic way of metabolism in the human body is through alcohol dehydrogenase and glucuronidation to produce the required components from nearly 66% of the dosage in urine. The mean clearance of Lamivudine is recorded for about 0.32 L/kg/h, and renal clearance of nearly 70% is obtained via tubular secretion, but the hepatic metabolism is noted for less than 10L.

Drug dosages

It has to be ensured that the drug is swallowed all at once without crushing it. In the case of adults over 12 years of age, the recommended dosage of the drug is nearly 600 mg once a day. For children under two years of age, the dosage depends on their weight ranges. The recommended dose is about 4mg/kg given twice a day. For those weighing 30 kg, a dosage of 300 mg twice a day is recommended.

Elimination of the drug

The half-life of the drug has been recorded for about 1.5 hours. The elimination of the drug, Abacavir occurs via the excretion of metabolites in the urine. The combination of metabolites and the unchanged amount of the drug form about 83% of the given dose, and the rest is eliminated via the feces. The half-life of the drug Lamivudine is quite long and lasts for about 10 hours in the blood lymphocytes.

Side effects of Abakast-L (Abacavir 600 mg + Lamivudine 300 mg)

1. Some individuals experienced hypersensitivity reactions, and it turned out to be fatal in the rarest scenarios.
2. Patients consuming Lamivudine and other antiviral agents could develop opportunistic infections and other complications due to the HIV infection.
3. The appearance of symptoms is an indication of multi-organ involvement.
4. Fever and rashes can occur.
5. Symptoms resulting from the hypersensitivity reaction can occur when treated with drugs like Lamivudine and Abacavir.
6. These symptoms are likely to occur in the first six weeks of treatment with Abacavir.
7. Common symptoms include fever, gastrointestinal problems like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
8. Fatigue and rashes may occur.
9. There are chances of paresthesia.
10. Respiratory symptoms like a sore throat or even cough may arise.

Note: Abakast-L might show other side-effects as well. Refer your healthcare provider for more updates regarding the drug.

Abakast-L is also available in these countries: (South East Asia, South America, Eastern Europe, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Kosovo, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Venezuela and Korea.) and many more…