Cidofovir (Systemic)

Brand Names : Vistide

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For cidofovir, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to cidofovir or probenecid. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Cidofovir has not been studied in pregnant women. However, in animal studies, cidofovir has been shown to cause harmful effects on both the mother and infant. Discuss with your doctor whether or not you should continue to receive this medicine if you become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether cidofovir passes into breast milk. However, breast-feeding is usually not recommended in AIDS patients because of the risk of passing the AIDS virus on to the infant.

Children - Cidofovir can cause serious side effects, including possible cancer and trouble in having children later. Therefore, it is especially important that you discuss with the child's doctor the good that this medicine may do as well as the risks of using it.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of cidofovir in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving cidofovir, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Carmustine (e.g., BiCNU) or
• Cisplatin (e.g., Platinol) or
• Combination pain medicine containing acetaminophen and aspirin (e.g., Excedrin) or other salicylates (with large amounts taken regularly) or
• Cyclosporine (e.g., Sandimmune) or
• Deferoxamine (e.g., Desferal) (with long-term use) or
• Gold salts (medicine for arthritis) or
• Inflammation or pain medicine, except narcotics, or
• Lithium (e.g., Lithane) or
• Other anti-infectives (e.g., amphotericin B) or
• Penicillamine (e.g., Cupramine) or
• Streptozocin (e.g., Zanosar) or
• Tiopronin (e.g., Thiola) - Use of these medicines may increase the chance of side effects affecting the kidneys

• Probenecid (e.g., Benemid) - Probenecid is usually given along with cidofovir; however, probenecid may cause other medications you may be taking to be removed from your body more slowly, and there is a possibility that effects of some of these medicines may be increased

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of cidofovir. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Kidney disease - Cidofovir can cause harmful effects on the kidney