Pronunciation: en-FUE-vir-tide
Generic Name: Enfuvirtide
Brand Name: Fuzeon
Enfuvirtide is used for:
Treating HIV infection in combination with other anti-HIV medicines.
Enfuvirtide is an antiviral agent. It works by blocking HIV from infecting healthy immune cells (CD4 cells).
Do NOT use Enfuvirtide if:
- you are allergic to any ingredient in Enfuvirtide
Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
Before using Enfuvirtide:
Some medical conditions may interact with Enfuvirtide. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:
- if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
- if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
- if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
- if you have a history of lung disease or intravenous (IV) drug use, or if you smoke
Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Enfuvirtide. However, no specific interactions with Enfuvirtide are known at this time.
Ask your health care provider if Enfuvirtide may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.
How to use Enfuvirtide:
Use Enfuvirtide as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
- An extra patient leaflet is available with Enfuvirtide. Talk to your pharmacist if you have questions about this information.
- Food does not affect Enfuvirtide. You may use Enfuvirtide whether you have eaten or not. You must keep taking your other medicines the way you did before you started taking Enfuvirtide.
- Enfuvirtide is usually given as an injection at your doctor's office, hospital, or clinic. If you will be using Enfuvirtide at home, a health care provider will teach you how to use it. Be sure you understand how to use Enfuvirtide. Follow the procedures you are taught when you use a dose. Contact your health care provider if you have any questions.
- Do not use Enfuvirtide if it contains particles, is cloudy or discolored, or if the vial is cracked or damaged.
- Enfuvirtide is injected under the skin into the upper arm, thigh, or abdomen. Rotate injection sites with each shot. Do not inject near the elbow, knee, groin area, or the lower or inner buttocks. Do not inject in or near bumps from past injections or directly over a blood vessel. Also, do not inject into moles, scars, bruises, tattoos, burn sites, or your belly button.
- When drawing a dose into a syringe, be sure to follow the procedure demonstrated to you to prevent contamination of the vial, syringe, or medicine. Never touch the rubber stopper of the vial or the needle of the syringe with your fingers.
- Do not mix your other medicines in the same syringe with Enfuvirtide.
- Keep this product, as well as syringes and needles, out of the reach of children and away from pets. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials. Dispose of properly after use. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain local regulations for proper disposal.
- You may use Enfuvirtide with a needle-free injection device (eg, Biojector 2000). Avoid injecting into areas close to joints or large nerves. Certain nerve problems (eg, pain, numbness or tingling) may occur if the medicine is injected near these areas. Bruising or bleeding under the skin may also occur with the use of this device. The risk may be greater if you take anticoagulants (eg, warfarin) or have bleeding problems (eg, hemophilia). Check with your health care provider if you have questions about using this type of injection device.
- If you miss a dose of Enfuvirtide, use it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not use 2 doses at once. It is important not to miss doses of Enfuvirtide.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Enfuvirtide.
Important safety information:
- Enfuvirtide may cause dizziness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medications. Use Enfuvirtide with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
- Enfuvirtide is not a cure for HIV infection. Patients may still get illnesses and infections associated with HIV. Remain under the care of your doctor.
- Enfuvirtide may improve immune system function. This may reveal hidden infections in some patients. Tell your doctor right away if you notice symptoms of infection (eg, fever, sore throat, weakness, cough, shortness of breath) after you start Enfuvirtide.
- When your medicine supply is low, get more from your doctor or pharmacist as soon as you can. Do not stop taking Enfuvirtide, even for a short period of time. If you do, the virus may grow resistant to the medicine and become harder to treat.
- Enfuvirtide does not stop the spread of HIV to others through blood or sexual contact. Use barrier methods of birth control (eg, condoms) if you have HIV infection. Do not share needles, injection supplies, or items like toothbrushes or razors.
- Lab tests, including blood counts, CD4 counts, liver function tests, and physical exams, may be performed while you use Enfuvirtide. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
- Enfuvirtide should not be used in CHILDREN younger than 6 years of age; safety and effectiveness in these children have not been confirmed.
- PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Enfuvirtide while you are pregnant. Mothers infected with HIV should not breast-feed. There is a risk of passing the HIV infection or Enfuvirtide to the baby.
Possible side effects of Enfuvirtide:
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:
Constipation; diarrhea; dizziness; injection site reactions (pain, redness, itching, bleeding, bruising, hardened skin, or bumps); loss of appetite; muscle pain; nausea; tiredness; trouble sleeping; weakness.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); anxiety; blood in the urine; depression; fever with vomiting and skin rash; flu-like symptoms; severe of persistent stomach pain; signs of infection at the injection site (eg, oozing, swelling, increasing heat); signs of pneumonia (eg, cough with fever, rapid breathing, shortness of breath); stomach pain; swelling of the feet.
This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.
See also: Enfuvirtide side effects (in more detail)
If OVERDOSE is suspected:
Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center ( http://www.aapcc.org), or emergency room immediately.
Proper storage of Enfuvirtide:
Store Enfuvirtide at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom.
After mixing with sterile water, Enfuvirtide may be stored in the refrigerator between 36 and 46 degrees F (2 and 8 degrees C) for up to 24 hours. Do not use after the expiration date on the vial. Keep Enfuvirtide out of the reach of children and away from pets.
General information:
- If you have any questions about Enfuvirtide, please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
- Enfuvirtide is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.
- If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
- Check with your pharmacist about how to dispose of unused medicine.
This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Enfuvirtide. If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
More Enfuvirtide resources
- Enfuvirtide Side Effects (in more detail)
- Enfuvirtide Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Enfuvirtide Drug Interactions
- Enfuvirtide Support Group
- 2 Reviews for Enfuvirtide - Add your own review/rating
- Enfuvirtide Professional Patient Advice (Wolters Kluwer)
- Enfuvirtide Monograph (AHFS DI)
- enfuvirtide Subcutaneous Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information
- Fuzeon Prescribing Information (FDA)
- Fuzeon Consumer Overview
Compare Enfuvirtide with other medications
- HIV Infection
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