Hepsera

Generic name:adefovir [ a-DEF-oh-vir ]
Drug class:Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com on Feb 26, 2021. Written by Cerner Multum.

What is Hepsera?

Hepsera is an antiviral medicine that is used to treat chronic hepatitis B in adults and children at least 12 years old. This medicine is not a cure for chronic hepatitis B.

Hepsera may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Warnings

You may need to be tested for HIV before you start taking Hepsera. Tell your doctor if you have been exposed to HIV, or if you have untreated HIV or AIDS.

Call your doctor at once if you have liver symptoms such as right-sided upper stomach pain, nausea, loss of appetite, dark urine, or yellowing of your skin or eyes.

Hepsera can harm your kidneys, especially if you already have kidney problems or take certain medicines.

You may develop lactic acidosis, a dangerous build-up of lactic acid in your blood. Call your doctor or get emergency medical help if you have unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain, dizziness, feeling cold, or feeling very weak or tired.

Hepatitis B may become active or get worse after you stop using Hepsera. You may need frequent liver function tests for several months.

Before taking this medicine

You should not take Hepsera if you are allergic to it.

You should not take Hepsera if you also medicine that contains tenofovir (Atripla, Biktarvy, Cimduo, Complera, Delstrigo, Descovy, Genvoya, Stribild, Symfi, Truvada, or Viread).

Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease or if you are on dialysis.

Tell your doctor if you have been exposed to HIV, or if you have untreated HIV or AIDS. Taking medicines to treat chronic hepatitis B can cause HIV infection to become resistant to the standard HIV and AIDS medications. You may need to be tested for HIV before you start taking Hepsera.

You may develop lactic acidosis, a dangerous build-up of lactic acid in your blood. This may be more likely if you have other medical conditions, if you've taken antiviral medication for a long time, or if you are a woman. Ask your doctor about your risk.

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