What is the dosage of Aptivus?
Aptivus is supplied in 250mg soft gel capsules. Two of these soft gel capsules will be taken along with two 100mg capsules of Norvir twice daily. Aptivus must be taken or boosted with the 200mg of Norvir in order for it to be effective. Aptivus is also to be taken with food.
Are there any side effects?
There are some side effects that people taking Aptivus should be aware of. They include:
- rash
- diarrhea
- nausea
- vomiting
- headache
- elevated liver enzymes and liver toxicity
Are there any precautions or drug interactions?
Like many medications, there are some precautions prescribers and users must be aware of before starting Aptivus. They include:
- Liver toxicity: patients with known liver disease or insufficiency, including those with hepatitis a, b, or c should use Aptivus with extreme caution due to the incidence of liver toxicity caused by Aptivus.
- Sulfa Allergy: patients with sulfa or Bactrim allergies should use Apivus with caution due to sulfa components in the drug that may trigger symptoms of sulfa allergy.
- Drug interactions: many drugs such as St. John's Wort, anti-arrhythmic drugs, cholesterol lowering drugs, migraine medicines, and herbal remedies can have serious interaction with Aptivus. The prescribing physician should be made aware of all medications and herbal products being taken prior to prescribing Aptivus.
- Birth control pills and patches: additional methods of birth control should be used when taking Aptivus due to decreased affectiveness of birth control pills and patches caused by Aptivus.
Aptivus (tipranavir) should be available in pharmacies within a few weeks. Please note that until this new drug appears in drug formularies, insurance coverage, both commercial and government funded, may be delayed. This drug should be in formularies within a month or two.
