Abacavir

• You may know this drug as: Ziagen®
• Why it's commonly used: This medication is used to treat HIV infection.
• Side effects: Life-threatening allergic reaction (hypersensitivity) with symptoms that can include fever, rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, extreme fatigue or achiness, shortness of breath, cough or sore throat
• What you can do: Knowing your genetic risk of side effects allows you and your doctor to choose the right drugs for you, and opt for alternatives if needed.
• Did you know? About five percent of patients taking this drug experience severe side effects within the first month or two.

Navigenics tests for a gene variant, known as HLA-B*5701, which has been shown to increase the risk for life-threatening abacavir hypersensitivity reactions. Large research studies suggest that screening for this genetic variant reduces the risk of hypersensitivity reactions to abacavir by helping pinpoint who is likely to be at high genetic risk for side effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends screening for this genetic variant before starting or re-initiating abacavir treatment.