Telbivudine (Oral)
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 24, 2022.
Warning: Severe Acute Exacerbations of Hepatitis BSevere acute exacerbations of hepatitis B have been reported in patients who have discontinued anti-hepatitis B therapy, including telbivudine. Hepatic function should be monitored closely with both clinical and laboratory follow-up for at least several months in patients who discontinue anti-hepatitis B therapy. If appropriate, resumption of anti-hepatitis B therapy may be warranted .
Commonly used brand name(s)
In the U.S.
- Tyzeka
Chemical Class: Thymidine Nucleoside Analog
Uses for telbivudine
Telbivudine is used to treat chronic hepatitis B infection. Telbivudine is not a cure for hepatitis B infection, but it may lower the amount of virus in your body and may decrease the ability of the virus to multiply.
Telbivudine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
Before using telbivudine
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For telbivudine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to telbivudine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of telbivudine in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Geriatric
Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of telbivudine have not been performed in the geriatric population, geriatric-specific problems are not expected to limit the usefulness of telbivudine in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving telbivudine.
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Interactions with medicines
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking telbivudine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using telbivudine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Peginterferon Alfa-2a
Interactions with food/tobacco/alcohol
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since inter..
