Prezista

Generic Name: darunavir (da ROON a veer)

Brand Names: Prezista

What is darunavir?

Darunavir is an antiviral medication in a group of HIV medicines called protease (PRO-tee-ayz) inhibitors. Darunavir prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body.

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

Darunavir may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about darunavir?

Do not take darunavir with alfuzosin (Uroxatral), cisapride (Propulsid), pimozide (Orap), lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev, Advicor), simvastatin (Zocor, Simcor, Vytorin), oral midazolam (Versed), triazolam (Halcion), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater), St. John's wort, or an ergot medicine such as Ergomar, Ergotrate, Cafergot, D.H.E. 45, Migranal, Methergine, and others. These drugs can cause life-threatening side effects if you use them while you are taking darunavir. There are many other drugs that can interact with darunavir. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

HIV/AIDS is usually treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor's advice. Every person with HIV or AIDS should remain under the care of a doctor.

Taking this medication will not prevent you from passing HIV to other people. Avoid having unprotected sex or sharing razors or toothbrushes. Talk with your doctor about safe ways to prevent HIV transmission during sex. Sharing drug or medicine needles is never safe, even for a healthy person.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking darunavir?

You should not take this medication if you are allergic to darunavir or ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra), or if you have severe liver disease. Some drugs can cause life-threatening side effects if you use them while you are taking darunavir. Do not take darunavir with:

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  alfuzosin (Uroxatral);

  
  


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  cisapride (Propulsid);

  
  


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  pimozide (Orap);

  
  


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

  
  


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  rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater);

  
  


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  sildenafil (Revatio);

  
  


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  St. John's wort;

  
  


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  triazolam (Halcion) or oral midazolam (Versed); or

  
  


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  ergot medicines such as ergotamine (Ergomar, Cafergot), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal Nasal Spray), ergonovine (Ergotrate), or methylergonovine (Methergine).

  
  

To make sure you can safely take darunavir, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

• liver disease (especially hepatitis or cirrhosis);


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  diabetes;

  
  


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  a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia;

  
  


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  high cholesterol or triglycerides; or

  
  


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  if you are allergic to sulfa drugs.

  
  

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether darunavir will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. HIV can be passed to your baby if you are not properly treated during pregnancy. Take all of your HIV medicines as directed to control your infection.

Your name may need to be listed on an antiviral pregnancy registry when you start using this medication.

Darunavir can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using a non-hormone method of birth control (such as a condom, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while taking darunavir. Women with HIV or AIDS should not breast-feed a baby. Even if your baby is born without HIV, the virus may be passed to the baby in your breast milk. Darunavir and ritonavir should not be given to a child younger than 6 years old.

How should I take darunavir?

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

Darunavir must be taken together with another medication called ritonavir (Norvir). Take the medicines together at the same time every day.

Take the medicine with a full glass (8 ounces) of water or milk. Darunavir works best if you take it with food.

Swallow the darunavir tablet whole. Do not break or chew.

Use darunavir regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.

To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood may need to be tested often. Your liver function may also need to be tested. Visit your doctor regularly.

HIV/AIDS is usually treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor's advice. Every person with HIV or AIDS should remain 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 dose of darunavir and ritonavir as soon as you remember and take your next dose at the regularly scheduled time.

If you take darunavir 800 milligrams once daily and you are more than 12 hours late in taking your medications, skip the missed dose and take the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

If you take darunavir 600 milligrams twice daily and you are more than 6 hours late in taking your medications, skip the missed dose and take the next regularly scheduled dose.

Always take darunavir and ritonavir together. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What should I avoid while taking darunavir?

If you also take didanosine (Videx), take it 1 hour before or 2 hours after you take darunavir.

Taking this medication will not prevent you from passing HIV to other people. Avoid having unprotected sex or sharing razors or toothbrushes. Talk with your doctor about safe ways to prevent HIV transmission during sex. Sharing drug or medicine needles is never safe, even for a healthy person.

Darunavir side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using darunavir and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

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  fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;

  
  


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  the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild;

  
  


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  signs of a new infection, such as fever or chills, cough, flu symptoms, easy bruising or bleeding;

  
  


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  severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate;

  
  


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

  
  


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  high blood sugar (increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, dry mouth, fruity breath odor, drowsiness, dry skin, blurred vision, weight loss);

  
  

Less serious side effects may include:

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  diarrhea, mild nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;

  
  


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  headache;

  
  


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  mild skin rash; or

  
  


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  changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, 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 report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect darunavir?

Many drugs can interact with darunavir. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using:

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  bosentan (Tracleer);

  
  


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  buprenorphine and naloxone (Suboxone);

  
  


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  colchicine (Colcrys);

  
  


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  methadone (Methadose, Dolophine, Diskets);

  
  


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  risperidone (Risperdal) or thioridazine (Mellaril);

  
  


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  salmeterol (Serevent);

  
  


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  an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), rifabutin (Mycobutin);

  
  


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  an antidepressant such as desipramine (Norpramin), trazodone (Desyrel), and others;

  
  


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  an antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), or voriconazole (Vfend);

  
  


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  beta-blockers such as metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol) or timolol (Blocadren, Betimol, Cosopt, Timoptic);

  
  


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  a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);

  
  


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  cholesterol-lowering medicine such as atorvastatin (Lipitor, Caduet), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor);

  
  


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  heart or blood pressure medicine such as felodipine (Plendil), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Nifedical, Procardia), and others;

  
  


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  medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, such as cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), sirolimus (Rapamune), or tacrolimus (Prograf);

  
  


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  a heart rhythm medication such as amiodarone (Cordarone), digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin), flecainide (Tambocor), lidocaine, propafenone (Rythmol), or quinidine (Quin-G);

  
  


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  insulin or diabetes medication you take by mouth;

  
  


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  medicines to treat erectile dysfunction, such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), or vardenafil (Levitra);

  
  


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  other HIV/AIDS medicine such as efavirenz (Sustiva, Atripla), raltegravir (Isentress), ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra), or saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase);

  
  


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  seizure medications such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol), phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), or phenytoin (Dilantin); or

  
  


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  a steroid medication such as dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol) or fluticasone (Advair, Flonase, Flovent).

  
  

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with darunavir. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

More Prezista resources

• Prezista Side Effects (in more detail)
• Prezista Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
• Prezista Drug Interactions
• Prezista Support Group
• 3 Reviews for Prezista - Add your own review/rating

• Prezista Prescribing Information (FDA)


• Prezista Monograph (AHFS DI)


• Prezista Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information


• Prezista MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)


• Prezista Consumer Overview

Compare Prezista with other medications

• HIV Infection

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about darunavir.

See also: Prezista side effects (in more detail)