Betaseron (Interferon beta-1b) Drug Overview of Drug Interactions and Missed Dose for Patients and Caregivers at RxList

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May 25, 2012

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Hepatitis B »

What is hepatitis?

The term 'hepatitis' simply means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis may be caused by a virus or a toxin such as alcohol. Other viruses that can cause injury to liver cells include the hepatitis A and hepatitis C viruses. These viruses are not related to each other or to hepatitis B virus and differ in their structure, the ways they are spread among individuals, the severity of symptoms they can cause, the way they are treated, and the outcome of the infection.

What is the scope of the problem?

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is estimated that 350 million individuals worldwide are infected with the virus, which causes 620,000 deaths worldwide each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 46,000 new cases of hepatitis B occurred in the United States in 2006.

In the United States, rates of new infection were highest ...

Read the Hepatitis B article »

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Betaseron Consumer (continued)

DRUG INTERACTIONS: Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.

Some products that may interact with this drug include: drugs that may affect your immune system (e.g., cancer chemotherapy, cyclosporine), hydroxyurea, telbivudine, theophyllines (e.g., aminophylline, theophylline).

OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.

NOTES: Do not share this medication with others.

Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., complete blood count, blood chemistry, liver or thyroid function tests) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

MISSED DOSE: If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember, and contact your doctor to establish a new dosing schedule. Your next injection should be taken about 48 hours (2 days) after you actually take the missed dose. Do not use this medication 2 days in a row. Do not double the dose to catch up.

STORAGE: Consult the product instructions and your pharmacist for storage details. Keep all medications away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.

MEDICAL ALERT: Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For information about enrolling in MedicAlert, call 1-800-854-1166 (USA) or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).