Medications and Drugs
GENERIC NAME: DIDANOSINE DELAYED-RELEASE - ORAL (dye-DAN-oh-seen)
BRAND NAME(S): Videx EC
Warning | Medication Uses | How To Use | Side Effects | Precautions | Drug Interactions | Overdose | Notes | Missed Dose | Storage | Medical Alert
WARNING: Infrequently, didanosine can cause severe (sometimes fatal) side effects such as inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), blood problems (lactic acidosis) or liver problems. Fatal lactic acidosis has also occurred during pregnancy when this medication was used in combination with stavudine and other drugs used to treat HIV. Stop using this drug and notify your doctor immediately if you develop stomach or abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, rapid breathing, dizziness, feeling cold (low body temperature), yellowing eyes or skin, dark urine. Your doctor must determine whether or not you have pancreatitis before restarting didanosine.
USES: Didanosine is used, along with other medications, to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Decreasing the amount of HIV in your body helps reduce complications, such as infections (opportunistic types such as pneumocystis pneumonia). This product does not cure HIV. One group of HIV medications (the nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors-NRTIs such as zidovudine and lamivudine) are very useful. However, NRTIs are recommended to be used in combination with other groups of HIV medications in order to be effective. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
HOW TO USE: Take this medication by mouth usually once daily on a empty stomach; or take as directed by your doctor. Do not crush or chew this medication. Swallow the capsule(s) whole.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
- Drug Interactions - Learn about potential drug interactions you may be exposed to. Drug interactions can occur with prescription drugs, OTC medication, vitamins, herbs, and supplements.
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus - Read about HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) causes, symptoms, signs, treatment, prevention, transmission, facts, testing, research (vaccine), statistics and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
- Drugs: What You Should Know About Your Drugs - Find out what you should know about your drugs such as side effects, warnings and precautions, storage information, and if a generic version is as good as the brand name.
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