RITONAVIR

(rit OH na vir) Brand: Norvir

What is the most significant information I must know about ritonavir?

• Life-threatening side effects may occur if you take ritonavir with alfuzosin (Uroxatral), amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), flecainide (Tambocor), propafenone (Rythmol), quinidine (Quin-G), voriconazole (Vfend), cisapride (Propulsid), pimozide (Orap), midazolam (Versed), triazolam (Halcion), St. John's wort, lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev, Advicor), simvastatin (Zocor, Simcor, Vytorin, Juvisync), sildenafil (Revatio, to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension), or an ergot medication such as Ergomar, Cafergot, Ergotrate, D.H.E. 45, Migranal, Methergine.

• There are much another medicines that can interact with ritonavir. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor. Hold a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

• HIV/AIDS is generally treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Do not change your doses or medicine schedule without your doctor's advice. Each face with HIV or AIDS must stay under the care of a doctor.

• Taking this medicine will not prevent you from passing HIV to another people. Avoid having unprotected sex or sharing 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 is ritonavir?

• Ritonavir is an antiviral medicine that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body.

• Ritonavir is used to treat HIV, which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Ritonavir is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.

• Ritonavir may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking ritonavir?

• You must not take ritonavir if you are allergic to it.

• Life-threatening side effects may occur if you take ritonavir with:

· alfuzosin (Uroxatral);

· amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone);

· cisapride (Propulsid);

· flecainide (Tambocor);

· lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev, Advicor) or simvastatin (Zocor, Simcor, Vytorin, Juvisync);

· midazolam (Versed) or triazolam (Halcion);

· pimozide (Orap);

· propafenone (Rythmol);

· quinidine (Quin-G);

· sildenafil (Revatio) when used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH);

· St. John's wort;

· voriconazole (Vfend); or

· ergot medication such as ergotamine (Ergomar, Cafergot, Migergot), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal), ergonovine (Ergotrate), or methylergonovine (Methergine).

• To create certain you can safely take ritonavir, speak your doctor if you have any of these another conditions:

· liver malady (especially hepatitis B or C);

· diabetes;

· heart malady or heart rhythm disorder;

· a bleeding mess such as hemophilia; or

· tall cholesterol or triglycerides.

• 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.

• 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.

• Ritonavir can create birth control pills or patches 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 ritonavir.

How must I take ritonavir?

• Take exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not take in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• Ritonavir tablets should be taken with meals. Ritonavir capsules or liquid must be taken with food if possible.

• Do not crush, chew, or interrupt a ritonavir tablet. Swallow it whole.

• Shake ritonavir liquid well just till you measure a doze. Measure the liquid with a particular dose-measuring spoon or medication cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

• Liquid ritonavir can be mixed with chocolate milk or a nutrition drink such as Ensure. Drink the mixture within 1 hour after mixing.

• Use ritonavir regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled till you run out of medication completely.

• 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. Each face with HIV or AIDS must stay under the care of a doctor.

• Your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your liver function may also need to be tested. Visit your doctor regularly.

• Store ritonavir capsules in the refrigerator or at room temperature, away from heat or moisture. If you store the capsules at room temperature you should use them within 30 days. Protect from light.

• Store ritonavir tablets at room temperature away from heat or moisture.

• Store ritonavir liquid at room temperature with the cap tightly closed. Do not refrigerate.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of ritonavir oral liquid could be fatal to a child.

What must I avoid while taking ritonavir?

• If you also take didanosine (Videx), take it at least 2.5 hours till or after you take ritonavir.

• Ritonavir capsules and oral liquid contain alcohol. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages while using this medication, and do not take disulfiram (Antabuse) or you could have an alcohol reaction.

What are the possible side effects of ritonavir?

• 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.

• Stop taking ritonavir and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

· slow or uneven heart course, feeling like you might pass out;

· heighten urination or extreme thirst;

· light bruising or bleeding (nosebleed or bleeding gums);

· signs of a new infection, such as fever or chills, cough, or flu symptoms;

· rapid heart course, heighten sweating, tremors in your hands, anxiety, feeling irritable, sleep problems (insomnia);

· diarrhea, unexplained weight loss, menstrual changes, impotence, loss of interest in sex;

· swelling in your neck or throat (enlarged thyroid);

· muscle weakness, weary feeling, trouble speaking or swallowing, joint or muscle pain, feeling short of breath;

· weakness or prickly feeling in your fingers or toes;

· problems with walking, breathing, speech, swallowing, or eye movement;

· severe lower back pain, loss of bladder or bowel control;

· severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, vomiting, quick heart course;

· nausea, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); 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.

• Smaller serious side effects may include:

· mild nausea, vomiting;

· numbness or tingling, especially near your mouth;

· headache, mood changes; 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 ritonavir?

• Much drugs can interact with ritonavir. Adown is just a partial list. Speak your doctor if you are using:

· ADHD medication;

· atorvastatin (Lipitor, Caduet) or rosuvastatin (Crestor);

· atovaquone (Malarone, Mepron) or quinine (Qualaquin);

· salmeterol (Advair, Serevent), theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theo-24, Uniphyl);

· steroids (oral, nasal, inhalation, or injectable)

· an antibiotic or antifungal medication;

· an antidepressant;

· any another HIV/AIDS medications;

· heart or blood pressure medication;

· insulin or diabetes medicine you take by mouth;

· medications to treat leukemia;

· medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection;

· medication to treat a psychiatric disorder;

· erectile dysfunction medicine (Viagra, Cialis, Levitra);

· narcotic pain medicine such as fentanyl (Abstral, Actiq, Fentora, Duragesic, Lazanda, Onsolis);

· a sedative (such as BuSpar, Tranxene, Prosom, Dalmane); or

· seizure medication.

• This list is not complete and much another medicines can interact with ritonavir. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor. Hold a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about ritonavir.

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.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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