The drug of a new generation of hepatitis C "Vikeyra Pak" reviews of those treated are mostly positive. This is primarily due to the high efficacy of the drug.
The action of the drug "Vikeyra Pak"
The action of the drug is based on three antiviral type drugs. These are Dasabuvir, Ombitasvir, and ritonavir-enhanced Paritaprevir. Like the world-famous drug called Harvoni, Vikeyra Pak has a high treatment efficiency - the range is from 97 to 99%. The hepatitis drug is the fourth approved in America. Before him, clinical tests were successfully passed by "Olisio" (the name in Russia is "Sovriad"), the combined "Harvoni", and also "Sovaldi".
General information about the next generation medical product
"Vikeyra Pak" (reviews of those treated are not yet too numerous, since the drug was registered in Russia only in May 2015) is produced by an Irish manufacturer, and is packaged in the United States of America. The drug inRussia is sold officially, it can be ordered at any pharmacy. Active ingredients of the medicinal product:
- ritonavir;
- dasabuvir;
- paritaprevir;
- ombitasvir.
Refers to direct-acting antivirals (J05A). This medication is an expensive drug. For example, a course of treatment for 12 weeks will cost 950 thousand rubles - these are several packages of Vikeyra Pak (cost in St. Petersburg). Consumer reviews include information that, compared to the well-known Harvoni, whose price in Europe is about 60 thousand dollars, the Irish drug is still quite affordable for purchase. The most budget option among all is a similar drug called Sunvepra (price - 400 thousand rubles for a course of treatment of the same duration).
Terms and conditions of storage
The full description of Vikeyra Pak can be read on the package with the medicine. It should be stored out of the reach of children at a temperature not exceeding 25 degrees Celsius. You can not take the drug after the expiration date - 2 years. All information about Vikeyra Pak: price, instructions for use, reviews of people undergoing therapy with this medication is summarized in this article.
Vikeyra Pak use and side effects
The hepatitis C drug in question should be taken duringmeal time, while the calorie or fat content of foods does not matter. Take two tablets of paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir in the morning, plus one tablet of dasabuvir. The latter must be consumed in the evenings. For some patients, the doctor prescribes Vikeyra Pak in combination with Ribavirin. If this therapy is chosen, Viekira Pak is taken in the amount of six tablets per day:
- in the morning - one dark tablet and two light ones;
- in the evening - one dark one;
- twice a day "Ribavirin" at a dosage of 500 mg.
The use of Vikeyra Pak (reviews include comments from experienced professionals) must be agreed with the doctor without fail. If the patient suffers from co-infection with HIV, then the regimen for taking the drug remains the same, plus, be sure to take it with food. The package does not indicate serious side effects from taking the medication. The most common possible deviations, judging by the reviews and instructions, are:
- asthenia;
- skin reactions, including itching;
- fatigue;
- lack of sleep;
- nausea.
Treatment scheme
For Viekira Pak, the treatment regimen includes a combination of three drugs developed by AbbWay plus a pharmacokinetic-type enhancer called Ritonavir. The hepatitis C drug regimen is prescribed for the treatment of HCV (genotype 1a) in combination with"Ribavirin". The course must be at least a full 12 weeks. For genotype 1b, the treatment is similar, but without the inclusion of the latter drug. In addition, Vikeyra Pak (reviews of those treated according to the scheme look more than impressive) is intended for therapy in patients with compensated cirrhosis. Course - 24 weeks with "Ribavirin" for genotype 1a, in other cases - 12 weeks.
Sustained virological response in patients (with genotype 1a) without cirrhosis was achieved in 97% of cases, and in 1b - 100% with a note that the therapy was of a combined type. In compensated liver cirrhosis, SVR reached 95% (24 weeks of therapy) for genotype 1a, in other cases (1b) the mark was close to one hundred percent.
Available contraindications
The drug "Vikeyra Pak" (reviews of those treated confirm this) has, like any drug, a number of contraindications. These include the following:
- decompensated hepatic function;
- hypersensitivity to ritonavir;
- hemoglobinopathy;
- simultaneous therapy with Didanosine;
- pregnancy;
- taking strong inhibitors;
- reception of strong inductors.
Please note that the use of a medicinal product for children under the age of majority is strictly prohibited. In addition, during lactation, a course of treatment for a woman is also not recommended due tothe lack of accurate information on the penetration of active substances "Vikeyra Pak" into breast milk. It is imperative to stop breastfeeding.
Caution in use
The American Medicines Quality Assurance Administration (FDA) reports that Viekira Pak and analogues used to treat hepatitis C may cause irreparable liver damage. This is especially true for people with abnormalities in the work of a vital organ. For this reason, the manufacturer has made certain amendments to the instructions for use of the drug.
If a patient notices that during the course of therapy there is frequent fatigue and fatigue, dizziness, often nausea and vomiting, and the skin begins to turn yellow, then it is necessary to seek help from a specialist due to the fact that there is a possibility liver damage. In no case should you stop taking the drug without the consent of your doctor, as this can lead to the body becoming resistant to other medicines that fight hepatitis. The doctor in the hospital should observe the patient for some time to rule out signs of liver dysfunction. These include:
- bleeding from dilated veins of the esophagus;
- ascites;
- increased bilirubin level;
- encephalopathy.
Medicines such as Viekira Pak help to significantly reduce the amount of hepatitis C virus in the human body,in addition, they can slow down the development of the disease.
Prescribing a new hepatitis C drug to patients
Features of Viekira Pak treatment include the combination of certain doses of several drugs, which are used in combination with "Ribavirin" or without. The drug has been approved for the treatment of patients suffering from cirrhosis of the liver and chronic hepatitis C. Before you start using this drug, you must tell your doctor about the following:
- of HIV infection;
- about liver disease other than hepatitis C;
- about the use of contraceptives that include ethinyl estradiol.
It is worth considering that in most cases, side effects from taking the drug are itching and irritation of the skin, lack of sleep and the urge to vomit. As of 2015, he alth professionals have prescribed the drug called Viekira Pak to more than 11,000 people.
What every patient in treatment should know?
If the patient is on a 12- or 24-day course of treatment, it should not be stopped without the consent of the doctor. This can lead to the emergence of body resistance to other analogue drugs. It is worth remembering that if the patient has an advanced stage of liver pathology, then Vikeyra Pak can lead to serious damage to the organ, including liver failure. Be sure to seek help from a hospital if you notice a regular recurrence of symptoms such as vomiting, yellowing of the sclera, sharpunexplained loss of appetite, light colored stools.
Before starting a course of treatment, it is recommended to read the instructions. Any questions should be discussed with the doctor. You can not hide any information about the state of he alth, including the resulting side effects from taking Viekira Pak.
Safety Rating
The safety of Vikeyra Pak has been assessed based on data from Phase II and Phase III clinical trials in nearly 3,000 patients treated with and without Ribavirin. Data were also taken into account among patients suffering from cirrhosis of the liver. Adverse reactions from the use were observed in 20% of cases. The most common symptoms are nausea and extreme fatigue. Only 1.15% stopped treatment due to side effects. The course was resumed after interruption of therapy - 1.4%. Due to the negative reactions of the body to the drug, the dosage of Ribavirin had to be reduced in 8% of patients.
Differences in the body's response to the drug in patients with and without cirrhosis of the liver were not observed. The clinical study involved patients who took Vikeyra Pak and without Ribavirin. The only reported reaction to the drug in this case is the occurrence of itching on the skin. For this reason, only 0.4% stopped the course of treatment, about 0.6% of patients made a break in therapy. The safety assessment of Vikeyra Pak was carried out according to several parameters (with and without cirrhosis, with and without the addition of Ribavirin to the course) and during the entire therapeutic course, i.e. 12weeks and 24.
Approximate cost of Vikeyra Pack in Russia and abroad
In the United States of America, Vikeyra Pack costs approximately $84,000 (including a 12-day course of treatment), the pricing policy in the Russian Federation, as in many other European countries, varies significantly.
On various portals on the Internet you can see the different cost of the Irish medical product. For medical institutions in Russia, the cost of Vikeyra Pak is about 300 thousand rubles for one month of treatment. For a 12-week course, you will have to pay about 850-900 thousand rubles. Thus, those who are prescribed therapy at 24 weeks will need to buy a cure for hepatitis C for at least 1.5 million rubles.
