Zerit Side Effects

Generic Name: Stavudine

Please note - some side effects for Zerit may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/ or 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).

Side Effects of Zerit - for the consumer

Zerit

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Zerit:

Changes in body fat; constipation; diarrhea; headache; loss of appetite; nausea; vomiting.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); chills; dark urine; fever; lactic acid imbalance (general body discomfort, cold feeling, dizziness, lightheadedness, slow or irregular heartbeat); muscle aches or weakness; numbness, tingling, or pain in hands or feet; rapid breathing; severe or persistent nausea and vomiting; shortness of breath; sore throat; stomach pain; sudden weight loss; symptoms of high blood sugar (eg, increased thirst or urination, confusion, unusual drowsiness); unusual tiredness or weakness; weakness in the arms or legs; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

Zerit Solution

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Zerit Solution:

Changes in body fat; constipation; diarrhea; headache; loss of appetite; nausea; vomiting.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); chills; dark urine; fever; lactic acid imbalance (general body discomfort, cold feeling, dizziness, lightheadedness, slow or irregular heartbeat); muscle aches or weakness; numbness, tingling, or pain in hands or feet; rapid breathing; shortness of breath; severe or persistent nausea and vomiting; sore throat; stomach pain; sudden weight loss; symptoms of high blood sugar (eg, increased thirst or urination, confusion, unusual drowsiness); unusual tiredness or weakness; weakness in the arms or legs; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

For the professional

Zerit

Adults

Fatal lactic acidosis has occurred in patients treated with Zerit in combination with other antiretroviral agents. Patients with suspected lactic acidosis should immediately suspend therapy with Zerit. Permanent discontinuation of Zerit should be considered for patients with confirmed lactic acidosis.

Zerit therapy has rarely been associated with motor weakness, occurring predominantly in the setting of lactic acidosis. If motor weakness develops, Zerit should be discontinued.

Zerit therapy has also been associated with peripheral sensory neuropathy, which can be severe, is dose related, and occurs more frequently in patients being treated with other drugs that have been associated with neuropathy (including didanosine), in patients with advanced HIV infection, or in patients who have previously experienced peripheral neuropathy.

Patients should be monitored for the development of neuropathy, which is usually manifested by numbness, tingling, or pain in the feet or hands. Stavudine-related peripheral neuropathy may resolve if therapy is withdrawn promptly. In some cases, symptoms may worsen temporarily following discontinuation of therapy. If symptoms resolve completely, patients may tolerate resumption of treatment at one-half the dose. If neuropathy recurs after resumption, permanent discontinuation of Zerit should be considered.

When Zerit is used in combination with other agents with similar toxicities, the incidence of adverse events may be higher than when Zerit is used alone. Pancreatitis, peripheral neuropathy, and liver function abnormalities occur more frequently in patients treated with the combination of Zerit and didanosine, with or without hydroxyurea. Fatal pancreatitis and hepatotoxicity may occur more frequently in patients treated with Zerit in combination with didanosine and hydroxyurea.

Selected clinical adverse events that occurred in adult patients receiving Zerit (stavudine) in a controlled monotherapy study (Study AI455-019) are provided in Table 7.

Pancreatitis was observed in 3 of the 412 adult patients who received Zerit in a controlled monotherapy study.

Selected clinical adverse events that occurred in antiretroviral-naive adult patients receiving Zerit from two controlled combination studies are provided in Table 8.

Pancreatitis resulting in death was observed in patients treated with Zerit plus didanosine, with or without hydroxyurea, in controlled clinical studies and in postmarketing reports.

Selected laboratory abnormalities reported in a controlled monotherapy study (Study AI455‑019) are provided in Table 9.

Selected laboratory abnormalities reported in two controlled combination studies are provided in Tables 10 and 11.

Observed During Clinical Practice

The following events have been identified during post-approval use of Zerit (stavudine). Because they are reported voluntarily from a population of unknown size, estimates of frequency cannot be made. These events have been chosen for inclusion due to their seriousness, frequency of reporting, causal connection to Zerit, or a combination of these factors.

Body as a Whole—abdominal pain, allergic reaction, chills/fever, and redistribution/accumulation of body fat.

Digestive Disorders—anorexia.

Exocrine Gland Disorders—pancreatitis [including fatal cases].

Hematologic Disorders—anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and macrocytosis.

Liver—symptomatic hyperlactatemia/lactic acidosis and hepatic steatosis, hepatitis and liver failure.

Metabolic Disorders—diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia.

Musculoskeletal—myalgia.

Nervous System—insomnia, severe motor weakness (most often reported in the setting of lactic acidosis, see WARNINGS).

Pediatric Patients

Adverse reactions and serious laboratory abnormalities in pediatric patients from birth through adolescence were similar in type and frequency to those seen in adult patients.

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