Ziagen Drug Interactions

When medications such as ganciclovir, methadone, and ribavirin are taken with Ziagen, drug interactions may occur. Some of these interactions with Ziagen may increase the level of Ziagen in your blood and cause potentially serious side effects. Other interactions may decrease the levels of certain medications in your blood and possibly reduce the effectiveness of the drugs. Other drugs that can cause Ziagen interactions include alcohol and valganciclovir.

 

Ziagen Drug Interactions: An Introduction

Ziagen® (abacavir sulfate) can potentially interact with several other medicines. Some of these medicines that may lead to Ziagen interactions include:
 
  • Alcohol
  • Ganciclovir (Cytovene®)
  • Methadone (Dolophine®, Methadose®)
  • Ribavirin (Copegus®, Rebetol®, Ribasphere®, Virazole®)
  • Valganciclovir (Valcyte™).
     

Ziagen Interactions Explained

The following sections explain in detail the potentially negative interactions that can occur when Ziagen is combined with any of the drugs listed above.
 
Alcohol
Drinking alcoholic beverages can increase the level of Ziagen in your blood, perhaps increasing your risk of side effects. It may be a good idea for you to avoid drinking alcohol while taking Ziagen.
 
Ganciclovir (Cytovene)
Combining ganciclovir with Ziagen may increase your risk of Ziagen side effects, particularly the side effects that affect blood cells. Your healthcare provider may need to closely monitor your blood counts.
 
Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose)
Ziagen may decrease the level of methadone in your blood, possibly making it less effective. Talk with your healthcare provider before taking these medications together.
(Ziagen Drug Interactions Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;