Virazol

Country of origin: Yugoslavia, ICN Pharmaceuticals Switzerland/ICN Switzerland AG Switzerland
Pharm-Group: Antiviral - nucleosides

Manufacturers: ICN Galenika (Yugoslavia), ICN Pharmaceuticals Switzerland / ICN Switzerland AG (Switzerland)
International name: Ribavirin
Synonyms: Arviron, Vero-Ribavirin, Rebetol, Ribavirin, Ribavirin Meduna, Ribavirin-Bio, Ribavirin-Verte, Ribamidil, Ribapeg, Trivorin
Dosage forms: lyophilized powder for aerosol use, concentrate for the preparation of infusion solution 100 mg/ml
Composition: Active substance - ribavirin.

Indications for use: The drug is intended for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The drug is recommended for use in combination with interferon alpha:

1. in primary patients not previously treated with alpha interferon, with confirmed chronic hepatitis C;
2. during exacerbation after a course of alpha-interferon monotherapy;
3. in patients refractory to interferon alpha monotherapy.

Contraindications: Ribavirin is contraindicated in patients with chronic heart failure IIB - III degree, myocardial infarction, chronic renal failure (creatinine clearance less than 50 ml/min), anemia, severe liver dysfunction, including decompensated cirrhosis, autoimmune diseases, including including autoimmune hepatitis, thyroid diseases that cannot be treated, severe depression with suicidal intentions, pregnancy and lactation (breastfeeding), hypersensitivity to ribavirin and other components of the drug, children and adolescents (up to 18 years).

Side effect:
Hemolytic anemia, dyspnea, cough, sleep disturbances, exanthema. Less common are flu-like symptoms with fever, headache and joint pain, weight loss, nausea, hair loss, and depression. Rarely observed dysfunction of the thyroid gland in the form of changes in TSH levels, as well as allergic reactions (urticaria, bronchospasm, anaphylaxis). Symptoms of autoimmune diseases, arterial hypotension, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia occur extremely rarely. All observed side effects are reversible, do not affect the effectiveness of treatment and stop after stopping taking the drug. Normalization of hemoglobin is observed after a temporary dose reduction.

Interaction:
Taking antacids containing aluminum and magnesium reduces the bioavailability of the drug. When ribavirin and alpha-interferon are used together, their action is synergistic. During the clinical use of various drugs at therapeutic doses in combination with ribavirin, no significant interactions were identified.

The combination of ribavirin with zidovudine (azidothymidine) and/or stavudine, with concurrent HIV infection, can lead to HIV viremia and requires a change in the treatment regimen. At the same time, no interaction was found between ribavirin and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or protease inhibitors. Therefore, it is possible to use Ribavirin and these drugs together for the treatment of patients with co-infection with HIV and hepatitis C.

Overdose:
Symptoms: possible increased side effects.
Treatment: drug withdrawal, symptomatic therapy.

Special instructions:
Before starting treatment, at weeks 2 and 4 and thereafter, control laboratory tests (clinical blood count, electrolyte analysis, liver function tests, serum creatinine levels) should be carried out regularly, as necessary.

In case of acute allergic reactions, the drug should be discontinued and appropriate treatment prescribed. Ribavirin should be prescribed with caution after appropriate examination in patients with heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus