Daclatasvir is used together with other medicines to treat long-term hepatitis C virus infection of the liver.
Take Daclatasvir exactly as directed by your doctor or according to the instructions on the label. Do not take more or less than instructed by your doctor.
You may take this medicine with or without food. Try to take it at the same time each day.
Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. Do not divide, chew or crush the tablet.
The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the treatment timeframe depending on your condition and response to the medication.
You must complete the entire course of medicine. If you don’t, the infection will not be properly controlled.
Daclatasvir must be taken regularly for it to be effective. Continue taking this medicine even when you feel better. Do not stop taking it suddenly as this may worsen your condition.
If you miss a dose and it is remembered within 20 hours of your scheduled dose time, take the missed dose and return to your normal dosing schedule.
If it is remembered more than 20 hours after your scheduled dose, skip the missed dose and return to your normal dosing schedule.
DO NOT double a dose under any circumstances.
If you often forget to take your medicine, let your doctor and pharmacist know.
Do not take Daclatasvir if you ever had an allergic reaction (e.g. rashes, breathlessness, swollen eyes) to this medicine or other similar medicines such as sofosbuvir.
Daclatasvir is used in combination with other medicines, such as peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. Do not take the combination of this medicine with peginterferon alfa or ribavirin if you are pregnant. If you become pregnant while being treated with these medicines, alert your doctor immediately. Ribavirin and peginterferon alfa may cause harm to your unborn child.
It is important that you do not get pregnant while taking the combination of Daclatasvir with peginterferon alfa or ribavirin. You and your male partner must use proven birth control methods during treatment with these medicines and for at least 6 months after stopping the treatment. Birth control medicines containing hormones may not be effective. You may wish to discuss other reliable methods of birth control with your doctor.
Do not breastfeed while you are being treated with this medicine.
Do not take Daclatasvir with medicines to treat TB (infection known as tuberculosis), epilepsy (fits or seizures), and certain anti-inflammatory medicine. Please see the section “Can I take this with other medicines?” below for more information.
Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- underlying heart disease
- diabetes
- current or previous hepatitis B virus infection
- other liver diseases
This medicine does not reduce your risk of passing hepatitis C infection. Ensure that you use proper precautions to avoid spreading the infection to others.
According to research, a certain gene known as
IL28B may affect your response to Daclatasvir. Individuals who have
IL28B rs12979860 variant CC gene type may experience an increased response to this medicine as compared to those with CT or TT gene types. Other genetic or clinical factors may influence your response to Daclatasvir therapy. If you know you have this gene type, inform your doctor.
Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly.
- Pregnancy tests must be done before treatment with the combination of this medicine, ribavirin and peginterferon alfa, to know if these medicines are suitable for you.
- You may need to have routine tests (e.g. amount of hepatitis C virus in your blood, complete blood count, liver and kidney function tests) before you take this medicine and periodically thereafter depending on your doctor’s advise.
- Your doctor may check if you have a risk for hepatitis B before you take Daclatasvir especially if you had a previous hepatitis B infection.
- Regular monitoring of your heart rate or blood sugar may also be needed if you are taking amiodarone (medicine for irregular heartbeat) or if you have diabetes, respectively.
Your doctor will advise you about how often you will need to have these tests.
Daclatasvir may cause dizziness, disturbance in attention or some problems with your eyesight such as blurred vision. If affected, do not drive or take part in any activity in which you need to be alert.
Other side effects include any of the following: headache, dry eye, stuffy nose, nasal congestion, mood swings, nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation, dry mouth, decreased appetite, irritability, difficulty sleeping, weight loss, muscle or joint pain, cough, flu-like symptoms, and hair loss.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:
- rashes, breathlessness, swelling of the face, eyes or mouth
- fainting, lightheadedness, excessive tiredness, weakness, chest pain, confusion, memory loss
- unusual bleeding or bruising, frequent and persistent sore throat with fever
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.
Do not take Daclatasvir if you are taking any of these medicines:
- medicines used to treat tuberculosis or TB e.g. rifampicin, rifabutin, rifapentine
- medicine for epilepsy (fits or seizures) e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital
- anti-inflammatory medicine e.g. dexamethasone
- herbal medicine e.g. St. John’s wort
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are also taking any of these medicines:
- medicines for irregular heartbeat e.g. amiodarone, digoxin
- medicines for HIV infection e.g. efavirenz, atazanavir, ritonavir, cobicistat, nevirapine
- other medicines for hepatitis C infection e.g. boceprevir, telaprevir
- antibiotics e.g. erythromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin, nafcillin
- medicines for fungal infection e.g. ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole
- cholesterol-lowering medicines e.g. rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, simvastatin
- blood-thinning medicines e.g. warfarin, dabigatran
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Daclatasvir.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.