Ritonavir (Systemic)

Brand Names : Norvir, Norvir SEC

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For ritonavir, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to ritonavir. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Studies have not been done in humans. However, in animal studies, ritonavir has been found to cause reduced weight and delayed growth in the infants. Ritonavir did not cause birth defects in animal studies.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether ritonavir passes into breast milk. However, breast-feeding is usually not recommended in AIDS patients because of the risk of passing the AIDS virus on to the infant.

Children - This medicine has been tested in a limited number of children 2 years of age and older. In effective doses, the medicine has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. There is no specific information comparing use of ritonavir in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine. When taking ritonavir, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amiodarone (e.g., Cordarone) or
• Bepridil (e.g., Vascor) or
• Cisapride (e.g., Propulsid) or
• Dihydroergotamine (e.g., D.H.E. 45 injection, Migranal nasal spray) or
• Ergonovine (e.g., Ergotrate injection) or
• Ergotamine-containing products (e.g., Bellergal, Bellaspas, Cafergot, Wigraine) or
• Flecainide (e.g., Tambocor) or
• Lovastatin (e.g., Mevacor) or
• Methylergonovine (e.g., Methergine) or
• Midazolam (e.g., Versed) or
• Pimozide (e.g., Orap) or
• Propafenone (e.g., Rythmol) or
• Quinidine (e.g., Quinidex) or
• Simvastatin (e.g., Zocor) or
• St. John's wort (hypericum perforatum) or
• Triazolam (e.g., Halcion) - Do not take any of these medicines with ritonavir

• Clarithromycin (e.g., Biaxin) or
• Desipramine (e.g., Norpramin) or
• Didanosine (e.g., Videx) or
• Disulfiram (e.g., Antabuse) or
• Ethinyl estradiol-containing birth control pills except progestin only or �mini pills� (e.g., Nor-QD, Micronor, Ovrette) or
• Indinavir (e.g., Crixivan) or
• Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) or
• Meperidine (e.g., Demerol) or
• Methadone (e.g., Dolophine) or
• Metronidazole (e.g., Flagyl) or
• Rifabutin (e.g., Mycobutin) or
• Rifampin (e.g., Rifadin) or
• Saquinavir (e.g., Fortovase, Invirase) or
• Sildenafil (e.g., Viagra) or
• Theophylline (e.g., Theo-Dur, Theochron) - A change in amount or how often you take these medications may be needed.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of ritonavir. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) - Ritonavir may increase the amount of sugar in your blood.
• Hemophilia - Possible increased risk of bleeding

• Liver disease or other liver problems - Effects of ritonavir may be increased because of slower removal from the body