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.
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.
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.
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.
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), 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.
If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such
as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison
control center right away. US residents can call 1-800-222-1222. Canada
residents can call 1-844-764-7669.
Do not share this medication with others.
Lab and/or medical tests (such as liver function, HIV
RNA levels, blood sugar, blood counts, blood cholesterol/triglyceride
levels) should be done while you are taking this medication. Keep all
medical and lab appointments. Consult your doctor for more
details.
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.
Store unopened bottles in the refrigerator. After
opening the bottle, the capsules may be stored at room temperature away
from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Once the bottle is
opened, this medication expires after 60 days. 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.