Viramune Dosage: An Introduction
The dose of
Viramune® (
nevirapine) that your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
- Other medical conditions you may have
- Other medications you may be currently taking
- Your age
- Your height and weight (for children).
As always, do not adjust your Viramune dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
Viramune Dosing for Adults
The recommended Viramune dose for treating adults with
HIV or
AIDS is 200 mg once daily for the first 14 days, then 200 mg twice daily thereafter. Viramune should be used in combination with other HIV medications, as part of an HIV "cocktail" (this is known as highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART).
If you are undergoing dialysis, you will need an extra Viramune dose after each dialysis session.
Viramune Dosing for Children
For children age 15 days and older, your child's healthcare provider will calculate an appropriate Viramune dosage based on your child's body surface area (which is calculated using height and weight measurements).
General Information on Dosing With Viramune
Considerations for people taking Viramune include the following:
- Viramune comes in tablet and oral suspension (liquid) form. It is usually taken by mouth twice a day.
- For the first two weeks, it is usually recommended to take Viramune just once a day (this decreases the risk of dangerous side effects of Viramune).
- It does not matter if you take Viramune with food or on an empty stomach. If the drug bothers your stomach, try taking it with food.
- Be sure to shake Viramune oral suspension well before each dose.
- Try to take Viramune at the same time(s) every day to maintain an even level of the medication in your blood.
- For the medication to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. It is very important that you closely follow your healthcare provider's instructions about taking Viramune. Missing doses can increase the chance of the virus developing resistance to Viramune (making it less effective).
- If you are unsure about anything related to your Viramune dosage, please talk to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.
