ATAZANAVIR
(a ta ZAN a vir) Brand: Reyataz
What is the most significant information I must know about atazanavir?
• You must not use this medication if you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to atazanavir.
• Some medicines can reason unwanted or dangerous effects when used with atazanavir. Your doctor may need to change your treatment plan if you use any of the next drugs: alfuzosin, cisapride, indinavir, irinotecan, lovastatin, simvastatin, pimozide, rifampin, sildenafil (for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension), St. John's wort, triazolam, oral midazolam, or ergot medication (dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, ergonovine, methylergonovine).
What is atazanavir?
• Atazanavir is an antiviral medicine that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body.
• Atazanavir is used with another medications to treat HIV, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Atazanavir is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.
• Atazanavir may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.
What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking atazanavir?
• You must not use this medication if you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to atazanavir.
• Some medicines can reason unwanted or dangerous effects when used with atazanavir. Your doctor may need to change your treatment plan if you use any of the next drugs:
· alfuzosin;
· cisapride;
· indinavir;
· irinotecan;
· pimozide;
· rifampin;
· sildenafil (for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension);
· St. John's wort;
· triazolam, oral midazolam; or
· ergot medicine--dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, ergonovine, methylergonovine.
• To create certain atazanavir is safety for you, speak your doctor if you have:
· liver malady, hepatitis B or C;
· kidney malady (or if you are on dialysis);
· history of kidney stones or gallstones;
· diabetes;
· a bleeding mess such as hemophilia;
· tall cholesterol or triglycerides;
· a heart rhythm mess, a heart condition called "AV block"; or
· if you have ever used a protease inhibitor in the past.
• FDA pregnancy category B. This medicine is not expected to be deleterious to an unborn child, but HIV can be passed to your child if you are not properly treated during pregnancy. Take all of your HIV medicines as directed to control your infection. Atazanavir should be given together with ritonavir during pregnancy and for a short time after childbirth. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.
• Atazanavir can create birth control pills, patches, injections, or vaginal rings smaller effective. Ask your doctor about using a non-hormone method of birth control (such as a condom, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while taking atazanavir.
• Women with HIV or AIDS must not breast-feed a child. Even if your child is born without HIV, the virus may be passed to the child in your breast milk.
• Do not give this medicine to a baby younger than 6 years old. Do not give atazanavir alone (without ritonavir) to a baby younger than 13 years old, or to a baby who weighs smaller than 88 pounds.
How must I take atazanavir?
• Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not take this medication in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Atazanavir is often used together with other medication called ritonavir (Norvir).
• Atazanavir must be taken once daily with food. Swallow the capsule whole.
• Use atazanavir regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled till you run out of medication completely.
• While using atazanavir, you may need frequent blood trials at your doctor's office. Your liver function may also need to be checked.
• HIV/AIDS is generally treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medicine manual or patient instructions provided with every medicine. Do not change your doses or medicine schedule without your doctor's advice. Every face with HIV or AIDS must stay under the care of a doctor.
• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if your following doze is smaller than 6 hours away. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed doze.
What happens if I overdose?
• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What must I avoid while taking atazanavir?
• If you also take didanosine (Videx), take it 1 hour till or 2 hours after you take atazanavir. Avoid using antacids or buffered aspirin within 1 hour till or 2 hours after you take atazanavir.
• Taking this medicine will not prevent you from passing HIV to another people. Do not have unprotected sex or share razors or toothbrushes. Conversation with your doctor about safety ways to prevent HIV transmission during sex. Sharing drug or medication needles is never safety, even for a healthy person.
What are the possible side effects of atazanavir?
• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Atazanavir may magnify your risk of determined infections or autoimmune disorders by changing the way your immune system works. Symptoms may occur weeks or months after you start treatment with atazanavir. Speak your doctor if you have:
· signs of a new infection--fever, night sweats, swollen glands, diarrhea, stomach pain, weight loss;
· chest pain (especially when you breathe), dry cough, wheezing, feeling short of breath;
· cool sores, sores on your genital or anal area;
· rapid heart course, feeling anxious or irritable, weakness or prickly feeling, problems with balance or eye movement;
· trouble speaking or swallowing, severe lower back pain, loss of bladder or bowel control; or
· swelling in your neck or throat (enlarged thyroid), menstrual changes, impotence, loss of interest in sex.
• Stop taking atazanavir and call your doctor at once if you have:
· headache with chest pain and severe dizziness, fainting, quick or pounding heartbeats;
· severe pain in your side or lower back, painful urination, blood in your urine;
· jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
· tall blood sugar (increased thirst, heighten urination, famine, dry mouth, fruity breath odor, drowsiness, dry skin, blurred vision); or
· severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your person or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the person or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.
• General side effects may include:
· nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;
· muscle pain, mild itching or rash;
· headache, dizziness, depressed mood, sleep problems (insomnia);
· numbness or burning pain in your hands or foots; or
· changes in the shape or location of body thick (especially in your arms, legs, person, neck, breasts, and waist).
• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What another drugs will affect atazanavir?
• Much drugs can interact with atazanavir. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Speak your doctor about all your medications and any you start or stop using during treatment with atazanavir, especially:
· bosentan;
· colchicine;
· fluticasone (especially if you also take ritonavir);
· paclitaxel;
· repaglinide;
· salmeterol (with or without fluticasone);
· warfarin (Coumadin);
· an antibiotic--clarithromycin, rifabutin;
· an antidepressant--amitriptyline, doxepin, desipramine, imipramine, protriptyline, trazodone, trimipramine;
· antifungal medicine--ketoconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole;
· cholesterol-lowering medications--atorvastatin, rosuvastatin;
· drugs to prevent organ transplant rejection--cyclosporine, sirolimus, tacrolimus;
· erectile dysfunction medications--avanafil, sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil;
· heart or blood pressure medication--amiodarone, diltiazem, felodipine, lidocaine, nicardipine, nifedipine, quinidine, verapamil;
· the hepatitis C medications boceprevir or telaprevir;
· another HIV/AIDS medications;
· seizure medication--carbamazepine, fosphenytoin, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone; or
· stomach acid reducers--cimetidine, dexlansoprazole, esomeprazole, famotidine, lansoprazole, nizatidine, omeprazole, pantoprazole, ranitidine, and others.
• This list is not complete and much another drugs can interact with atazanavir. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal commodity. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist can provide more information about atazanavir.
Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.
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