Details:

Entecavir is an oral antiviral drug used in the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Entecavir is a reverse transcriptase inhibitor. It prevents the hepatitis B virus from multiplying and reduces the amount of virus in the body. more specifically a deoxyguanosine analogue, that inhibits reverse transcription, DNA replication and transcription in the viral replication process.


Uses:
Entecavir is mainly used to treat chronic hepatitis B infection in adults and children 2 years and older with active viral replication and evidence of active disease. It is also used to prevent HBV reinfection after liver transplant and to treat HIV patients infected with HBV. Entecavir is weakly active against HIV, however it is not recommended for use in HIV-HBV co-infected patients without a fully suppressive anti-HIV regimen as it may select for resistance to lamivudine and emtricitabine in HIV.


Adverse Effects:
The most common adverse effects from entecavir include headache, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. Others adverse effects include diarrhea, dyspepsia, vomiting, somnolence and insomnia. Laboratory abnormalities resulting from treatment include elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) and hematuria. Periodic monitoring of hepatic function and hematology are recommended.