Basic
Informations
Rescriptor is an HIV
medication. It is in a category of HIV medicines called
non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). Rescriptor
prevents HIV from entering the nucleus of healthy CD4 cells. This
prevents the cells from producing new HIV and decreases the amount
of virus in the body.
Rescriptor, manufactured by ViiV Healthcare, was approved by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of HIV in 1997.
Rescriptor must be used in combination with other drugs to treat
HIV.
Drugs
Interactions
Rescriptor is broken down
(metabolized) by the liver, like many medications used to treat HIV
and AIDS. This means that Rescriptor can interact with other
medications. Rescriptor can lower or raise the levels of other
medications in the body. Similarly, other medications can lower or
raise the levels of Rescriptor in the body. While many interactions
are not a problem, some can cause your medications to be less
effective or increase the risk of side effects.
Tell your doctors and pharmacists about all medicines you take. This
includes those you buy over-the-counter and herbal or natural
remedies, such as St. John’s Wort. Bring all your medicines when you
see a doctor, or make a list of their names, how much you take, and
how often you take them. Your doctor can then tell you if you need
to change the dosages of any of your medications.
The following medications
should not be taken while you are being treated with Rescriptor:
-
Antibiotics: Priftin (rifapentine),
Mycobutin (rifabutin), Rifadin (rifampin)
-
Antihistamines: Hismanal (astemizole)
-
Acid reflux/heartburn
medications: Propulsid (cisapride), Tagamet (cimetidine), Pepcid
(famotidine), Zantac (ranitidine), Prevacid (lansoprazole),
Nexium (esomeprazole), Prilosec (omeprazole), Protonix (pantoprazole),
and other H2 antagonists and proton-pump inhibitors.
-
Sedatives: Versed (midazolam)
and Halcion (triazolam)
-
Antimigraine medications:
Wigraine and Cafergot (ergot medications)
-
Cholesterol-lowering
medications (statins): Zocor (simvastatin) and Mevacor (lovastatin).
Nucleoside reverse
transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) can be combined safely with
Rescriptor.
Rescriptor can increase the blood levels of all of the available
protease inhibitors. In turn, the dose of the protease inhibitor
being used may need to be decreased.
If you take methadone, Rescriptor may increase the amount of it in
your blood. It might be necessary to change your dose of methadone
if you combine it with Rescriptor.
Cholesterol-lowering drugs, also known as "statins," can interact
with Rescriptor. There are two statins that should not be used with
Rescriptor: Zocor (simvastatin) and Mevacor (lovastatin). Levels of
these two drugs can become significantly increased in the
bloodstream if the are combined with Rescriptor, which increases the
risk of side effects. The two statins that are considered to be the
safest in combination with Rescriptor are Pravachol (pravastatin)
and Lescol (fluvastatin). It is also possible to take Rescriptor
with Lipitor (atorvastatin) or Crestor (rosuvastatin), although
Rescriptor can increase Lipitor and Crestor levels in the
bloodstream. If Lipitor or Crestor is prescribed, it's best to begin
treatment with the lowest possible dose of the drug and then
increase the dose if necessary.
Rescriptor can interact with some medications used to treat TB, MAC
and other bacterial infections. Rifadin (rifampin) can decrease
Rescriptor levels (these two drugs should not be used together).
Rescriptor can increase Mycobutin (rifabutin) levels and Mycobutin
can decreased Rescriptor levels (these two drugs should not be used
together). Rescriptor can also increase Biaxin (clarithromycin)
levels and Biaxin can decrease clarithromycin levels (if Biaxin must
be used, your doctor should monitor your kidneys carefully).
It is not known if Rescriptor interacts with oral
contraceptives/birth control pills (ethinyl estradiol).
Blood levels of Viagra (sildenafil) and Levitra (vardenafil), two
drugs used for erectile dysfunction, likely increase if they are
combined with Rescriptor. In turn, it is best to use a lower dose of
these drugs in order to reduce the risk of side effects.
Side
Effects
The most common side effect of
Rescriptor is skin rash. In clinical trials, approximately one of
every four (25%) HIV-positive people who took the drug developed a
rash. Most of these cases involved either mild or moderate rash—the
rashes either improved on their own or were managed using a mild
steroid cream or oral medication. If you experience rash while
taking Rescriptor, be sure to report it to your doctor.
In a small number of patients, rash has been serious and resulted in
death. Therefore, if you develop a rash with any of the following
symptoms, call your doctor immediately: general ill feeling, fever,
muscle or joint aches, blisters, mouth sores, conjunctivitis
(inflammation of the inner surface of the eyelids), swelling of the
face, tiredness.
If you must stop treatment with Rescriptor because you have these
types of serious reactions, you must not take the drug again.
Other possible side effects include nausea, diarrhea, headache, and
fatigue.
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