Emtriva
emtricitabine
emtricitabine
Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them,
even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
What Emtriva is and what it is used for
What you need to know before you take Emtriva
How to take Emtriva
Possible side effects
How to store Emtriva
Contents of the pack and other information
Emtriva contains the active substance emtricitabine. This active substance is an antiretroviral medicine which is used to treat HIV infection. Emtricitabine is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) which works by interfering with the normal working of an enzyme (reverse transcriptase) that is essential for the HIV virus to reproduce itself. Emtriva may lower the amount of HIV in the blood (viral load). It may also help to increase the number of T cells called CD4 cells. Emtriva should always be combined with other medicines to treat HIV infection.
If this applies to you, tell your doctor immediately.
In addition to the opportunistic infections, autoimmune disorders (a condition that occurs when the immune system attacks healthy body tissue) may also occur after you start taking medicines for the treatment of your HIV infection. Autoimmune disorders may occur many months after the start of treatment. If you notice any symptoms of infection or other symptoms such as muscle weakness, weakness beginning in the hands and feet and moving up towards the trunk of the body, palpitations, tremor or hyperactivity, please inform your doctor immediately to seek necessary treatment.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
If you have taken Emtriva during your pregnancy, your doctor may request regular blood tests and other diagnostic tests to monitor the development of your child. In children whose mothers took NRTIs during pregnancy, the benefit from the protection against HIV outweighed the risk of side effects.
Emtriva may cause dizziness. If you experience dizziness while taking Emtriva, do not drive and do not use any tools or machines.
swallow hard capsules: one 200 mg hard capsule, each day with or without food.
For infants from 4 months, children, and patients who are unable to swallow hard capsules and patients with kidney problems, Emtriva is available as a liquid (an oral solution). If you have difficulty in swallowing the capsules, tell your doctor.
If you accidentally take too many Emtriva hard capsules, contact your doctor or nearest emergency department for advice. Keep the carton with you so that you can easily describe what you have taken.
It is important not to miss a dose of Emtriva.
Tell your doctor immediately about new or unusual symptoms after you stop treatment, particularly symptoms you associate with hepatitis B infection.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
During HIV therapy there may be an increase in weight and in levels of blood lipids and glucose. This is partly linked to restored health and life style, and in the case of blood lipids sometimes to the HIV medicines themselves. Your doctor will test for these changes.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
The following side effects are very common (these can affect at least 10 in every 100 patients):
headache, diarrhoea, feeling sick (nausea)
muscle pain and weakness (if creatine kinase levels in the blood are increased)
The following side effects are common (these can affect up to 10 in every 100 patients):
dizziness, weakness, difficulty sleeping, abnormal dreams
being sick (vomiting), problems with digestion resulting in discomfort after meals, stomach pain
rashes (including red spots or blotches sometimes with blistering and swelling of the skin), which may be allergic reactions, itching, changes in skin colour including darkening of the skin in patches
pain
Tests may also show:
low white blood cell count (a reduced white blood cell count can make you more prone to infection)
increased triglycerides (fatty acids), bile or sugar in the blood
liver and pancreas problems
The following side effects are uncommon (these can affect up to 1 in every 100 patients):
anaemia (low red blood cell count)
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat
Children given emtricitabine also experienced changes in skin colour including darkening of the skin in patches, very commonly and anaemia (low red blood cell count), commonly. If the production of red blood cells is reduced, a child may have symptoms of tiredness or breathlessness.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system listed in Appendix V. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the bottle, blister pack and carton after “EXP”. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
Capsule contents: microcrystalline cellulose (E460), crospovidone, magnesium stearate (E572), povidone (E1201)
Capsule shell: gelatin, indigotine (E132), titanium dioxide (E171)
Printing ink containing: black iron oxide (E172), shellac (E904)
Emtriva hard capsules have a white opaque body with a light blue opaque cap. Each capsule is printed with “200 mg” on the cap and “GILEAD” and [Gilead logo] on the body in black ink. Emtriva comes in bottles or blister packs containing 30 capsules.
Emtriva is also available as an oral solution for use in children and infants aged 4 months and over, patients who have difficulty in swallowing and patients with kidney problems. There is a separate Package Leaflet for Emtriva 10 mg/mL oral solution.
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Carrigtohill
County Cork, T45 DP77 Ireland
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
IDA Business & Technology Park Carrigtohill
County Cork
Ireland
For any information about this medicine, please contact the local representative of the Marketing Authorisation Holder:
Gilead Sciences Belgium SRL-BV
Tél/Tel: + 32 (0) 24 01 35 50
Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o.
Tel: + 48 22 262 8702
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
Тел.: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888
Gilead Sciences Belgium SRL-BV Tél/Tel: + 32 (0) 24 01 35 50
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel.: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888
Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Tlf: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888
Gilead Sciences GmbH Tel: + 49 (0) 89 899890-0
Gilead Sciences Netherlands B.V. Tel: + 31 (0) 20 718 36 98
Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o.
Tel: + 48 22 262 8702
Gilead Sciences Sweden AB
Tlf: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849
Gilead Sciences Ελλάς Μ.ΕΠΕ.
Τηλ: + 30 210 8930 100
Gilead Sciences GesmbH
Tel: + 43 1 260 830
Gilead Sciences, S.L. Tel: + 34 91 378 98 30
Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o. Tel.: + 48 22 262 8702
Gilead Sciences
Tél: + 33 (0) 1 46 09 41 00
Gilead Sciences, Lda.
Tel: + 351 21 7928790
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 353 (0) 214 825 999
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888
Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Sími: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849
Gilead Sciences Slovakia s.r.o. Tel: + 421 232 121 210
Gilead Sciences S.r.l. Tel: + 39 02 439201
Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Puh/Tel: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849
Gilead Sciences Ελλάς Μ.ΕΠΕ. Τηλ: + 30 210 8930 100
Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Tel: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849
Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o.
Tel: + 48 22 262 8702
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
Tel: + 44 (0) 8000 113 700