Aptivus
What is APTIVUS?
(APTIVUS) This drug must be used with other HIV medications to help control HIV infection. It helps to decrease the amount of HIV in your body so your immune system can work better. This lowers your chance of getting HIV complications (such as new infections, cancer) and improves your quality of life. Tipranavir belongs to a class of drugs known as protease inhibitors. It must be given with ritonavir, another protease inhibitor, to increase ("boost") the levels of tipranavir. This helps tipranavir work better. Tipranavir is not a cure for HIV infection. To decrease your risk of spreading HIV disease to others, continue to take all HIV medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Use an effective barrier method (latex or polyurethane condoms/dental dams) during sexual activity as directed by your doctor. Do not share personal items (such as needles/syringes, toothbrushes, and razors) that may have contacted blood or other body fluids. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
How should I use APTIVUS?
Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start using tipranavir and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor, usually twice daily. Swallow the capsules whole. Do not crush or chew. Tipranavir must be taken at the same times as ritonavir, another protease inhibitor. Take these medications with meals since ritonavir is usually taken with meals. It is very important to keep taking this medication (and other HIV medications) exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not skip any doses. For the best effect, take this medication at evenly spaced times. To help you remember, take this medication at the same times every day. Do not take more or less of this drug than prescribed, or stop taking it (or other HIV medicines) even for a short time, unless directed to do so by your doctor. Skipping or changing your dose without approval from your doctor may cause the amount of virus to increase, make the infection more difficult to treat (develop resistance), or worsen side effects.
What should I tell my health care provider before I take APTIVUS?
Before taking tipranavir, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to sulfa drugs; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: diabetes, heart problems (coronary artery disease, heart attack), blood or bleeding disorders (such as hemophilia), other conditions causing an increased risk of bleeding (such as injury, surgery), high blood fat levels (cholesterol/triglyceride), other viral infections (chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C), liver disease (including abnormal liver function tests). This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Alcohol or marijuana (cannabis) can make you more dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until you can do it safely. Limit alcoholic beverages. Talk to your doctor if you are using marijuana (cannabis). This drug may rarely make your blood sugar rise, which can cause or worsen diabetes. If you already have diabetes, check your blood sugar regularly as directed and share the results with your doctor. Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of high blood sugar such as increased thirst/urination. Your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication, exercise program, or diet. Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products). This medication may make you more sensitive to the sun. Limit your time in the sun. Avoid tanning booths and sunlamps. Use sunscreen and wear protective clothing when outdoors. Tell your doctor right away if you get sunburned or have skin blisters/redness. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Treatment can lower the risk of passing HIV infection to your baby, and tipranavir may be part of that treatment. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. It is unknown if this medication passes into breast milk. Because breast milk may transmit HIV, consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
What may interact with APTIVUS?
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval. Some products that may interact with this drug include: antiplatelet drugs (such as clopidogrel), artemether, "blood thinners" (anticoagulants such as warfarin, heparins), NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen, naproxen, sulindac, indomethacin), disulfiram, estrogens (such as ethinyl estradiol), garlic supplements, vitamin E, lumefantrine, metronidazole, orlistat. Other medications can affect the removal of tipranavir from your body, which may affect how tipranavir works. Examples include apalutamide, macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), rifampin, St. John's wort, drugs used to treat seizures (such as carbamazepine, phenytoin), among others. Tipranavir with ritonavir can both speed up and slow down the removal of other drugs from your body, thereby affecting how they work. Examples of affected drugs include alfuzosin, certain benzodiazepines (such as midazolam, triazolam), certain heart rhythm drugs (amiodarone, bepridil, flecainide, propafenone, quinidine), colchicine, eletriptan, eplerenone, ergot-containing drugs (such as ergotamine), fluticasone, other HIV medications (such as etravirine, other protease inhibitors including fosamprenavir, lopinavir, saquinavir), meperidine, pimozide, ranolazine, salmeterol, certain "statin" cholesterol drugs (such as atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin), drugs to treat erectile dysfunction-ED or pulmonary hypertension (such as sildenafil, vardenafil), among others. Aspirin can increase the risk of bleeding when used with this medication. However, if your doctor has told you to take low-dose aspirin to prevent heart attack or stroke (usually 81-162 milligrams a day), you should keep taking the aspirin unless your doctor tells you not to. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details. This medication may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring. This could cause pregnancy. Discuss with your doctor or pharmacist if you should use reliable backup birth control methods while using this medication. Also tell your doctor if you have any new spotting or breakthrough bleeding, because these may be signs that your birth control is not working well.
What should I watch for while using APTIVUS?
Tipranavir must be given with ritonavir to work effectively. When these two drugs are combined, there have been rare (sometimes fatal) cases of severe liver problems. Your doctor will monitor you closely and perform simple blood tests while you use this medication, especially if you also have infections that affect the liver (chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C). Patients being treated with tipranavir and ritonavir may rarely have a serious (sometimes fatal) bleeding problem in the brain (intracranial hemorrhage). This effect may be due to other drugs you are taking or conditions you may have, so do not stop taking tipranavir and ritonavir without consulting your doctor. Get medical help right away if you develop severe stomach/abdominal pain, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite, dark urine, yellowing eyes/skin, unusual bleeding or bruising, or mental/mood changes.
What if I miss a dose of APTIVUS?
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at the regular time. Do not double the dose to catch up.
What side effects may I notice from receiving APTIVUS?
See also Warning section. Diarrhea, nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, headache or vomiting may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that this medication has been prescribed because your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. As your immune system gets stronger, it can begin to fight off infections you already had, possibly causing disease symptoms to come back. You could also have symptoms if your immune system becomes overactive. This reaction may happen at any time (soon after starting HIV treatment or many months later). Get medical help right away if you have any serious symptoms, including: unexplained weight loss, severe tiredness, muscle aches/weakness that doesn't go away, headaches that are severe or don't go away, joint pain, numbness/tingling of the hands/feet/arms/legs, vision changes, signs of infection (such as fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, trouble breathing, cough, non-healing skin sores), signs of an overactive thyroid (such as irritability, nervousness, heat intolerance, fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat, bulging eyes, unusual growth in the neck/thyroid known as a goiter), signs of a certain nerve problem known as Guillain-Barre syndrome (such as unsteadiness, loss of coordination, trouble swallowing/speaking/chewing, trouble moving your eyes). Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: depression, increased thirst, signs of kidney problems (such as change in the amount of urine). Get medical help right away if you have any very serious side effects, including: symptoms of a heart attack (such as chest/jaw/left arm pain, shortness of breath, unusual sweating). Changes in body fat may occur while you are taking this medication (such as increased fat in the upper back and stomach areas, decreased fat in the arms and legs). The cause and long-term effects of these changes are unknown. Discuss the risks and benefits of therapy with your doctor, as well as the possible role of exercise to reduce this side effect. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. Tipranavir can commonly cause a mild rash that is usually not serious. However, you may not be able to tell it apart from a rare rash that could be a sign of a severe allergic reaction. Get medical help right away if you develop a rash. Taking estrogen (in birth control or hormone therapy) may increase your risk of developing this rash. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
Where should I keep APTIVUS?
Store unopened bottles in the refrigerator. Once the bottle is opened, the capsules may be stored at room temperature away from light and moisture. Discard any unused medication 60 days after first opening the bottle. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.