What is Abacavir used for?
Last updated September 6, 2026.
Abacavir is an antiretroviral medicine used together with other HIV medicines to treat HIV-1 infection in adults and children. It is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, so it blocks a step HIV uses to make copies of itself, and it is always combined with at least one other HIV medicine. Most people take it inside a single tablet, such as abacavir with lamivudine, or abacavir with dolutegravir and lamivudine. Everyone needs an HLA-B*5701 blood test before the first dose, because people who carry that gene should take a different medicine instead. Taking it at the same time every day keeps the virus suppressed, and a clinician should guide any change, pause, or restart.
What to do
- Get the gene test first: Ask for the HLA-B*5701 blood test before your first dose, since a positive result means abacavir is not the right medicine for you.
- Take it on schedule: Use a daily alarm or pill box and take your dose at about the same time, with or without food.
- Keep the full regimen: Abacavir only works as part of a complete HIV regimen, so do not skip or stop the other medicines in it.
- Know the early warning signs: Contact your clinician right away if fever, rash, vomiting, stomach pain, cough, or shortness of breath start in the first weeks.
- Never restart on your own: If you stopped abacavir after any reaction, do not take it again unless a clinician confirms it is safe.
- Review interactions: Tell your clinician about every prescription, supplement, and your alcohol use, because some of these change abacavir levels.
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