Generic Name: abacavir + zidovudine + lamivudine
Pronunciation: TRY-zih-veer
Abbreviation: ABC + AZT + 3TC
Drug Class: Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)
Company: ViiV Healthcare
Approval Status: Approved
Generic Version Available: No
Drug Indication
Not part of a recommended or alternative treatment regimen for antiretroviral-naive people living with HIV, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents. Visit http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/contentfiles/lvguidelines/aa_recommendations.pdf for the full DHHS guidelines.
General Info
Trizivir is an HIV medication. It is in a category of HIV medicines called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Trizivir was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use by people living with HIV in 2000.
Trizivir is a combination of three drugs: Retrovir (zidovudine) and Epivir (lamivudine) and Ziagen (abacavir). Trizivir should be prescribed by a healthcare provider for patients who need all three of these drugs. These drugs can also be purchased individually for use in combination with other HIV drugs.
Trizivir must be used in combination with other HIV drugs.
Dosage
Adult Dose: One tablet twice a day. Each tablet contains 300mg zidovudine + 150mg lamivudine + 300mg abacavir.
Pediatric Dose: Do not take Trizivir if you weigh less than 90 pounds (40 kg).
Dosing Info: Take with or without food. Contains abacavir and should only be used by patients who have tested negative for HLA-B*5701 (see below).
Side Effects
Serious allergic reactions (hypersensitivity reaction) that can cause death have happened with Trizivir and other abacavir-containing products. Your risk of this allergic reaction is much higher if you have a gene variation called HLA-B*5701. Your healthcare provider can determine with a blood test if you have this gene variation.
Symptoms of hypersensitivity reaction may include fever, rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, malaise, fatigue, or respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, cough, or shortness of breath.
Bone marrow problems, such as decreased production of red blood cells and/or white blood cells, can occur in people talking zidovudine, a component of Trizivir.
A rare but potentially serious side effect of zidovudine is myopathy (damage to the muscles, including the heart). People who use zidovudine for a long period of time, meaning several years, are at the greatest risk for myopathy. General symptoms of myopathy include weakness of limbs, usually proximal (located close to the center of the body).
Some studies suggest that current or recent use of regimens containing abacavir can increase the risk of a heart attack. However, this risk has not been confirmed by other studies.
If you have hepatitis B and plan to stop taking Trizivir, your doctor might want to frequently check your liver enzymes after stopping treatment. This is because the lamivudine in Trizivir is also active against the hepatitis B virus (HBV). If lamivudine is stopped abruptly, it can cause liver disease to “flare” and damage the liver.
Drug Interactions
For a review of drug interactions, including prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements that should not be taken with Trizivir or may require dose adjustments, consult the Trizivir package insert: https://www.viivhealthcare.com/media/32247/us_trizivir.pdf
Other Info
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease, liver disease, or any previous experience with a regimen containing abacavir. In addition, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, if you are breastfeeding, and all your medical conditions, including all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you are taking.
For More Info: https://www.viivhealthcare.com/media/32247/us_trizivir.pdf
Co-Pay Program Info: https://www.poz.com/basics/hiv-basics/drug-assistance-programs
Patient Assistance Program Info: https://www.poz.com/basics/hiv-basics/drug-assistance-programs
Last Reviewed: July 15, 2016
