Atazanavir (Systemic)

Brand Names : Reyataz

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 atazanavir, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to atazanavir. Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as [foods, preservatives, or dyes].

Pregnancy - Atazanavir did not cause birth defects in animal studies. However, in animal studies, atazanavir has been found to cause reduced weight and delayed growth in the infants. Atazanavir has not been studied in pregnant women.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether atazanavir 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 - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is limited recommendations comparing the use of atazanavir in children with use in other age groups. Atazanavir should not be administered to children under the age of 3 months.

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 atazanavir 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 you are taking atazanavir, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amiodarone (e.g., Cordarone) or
• Atorvastatin (e.g., Lipitor) or
• Clarithromycin (e.g., Biaxin) or
• Diltiazem (e.g., Cardizem) or
• Felodipine (e.g., Plendil) or
• Lidocaine (e.g., Xylocaine) or
• Nicardipine (e.g., Cardene) or
• Nifedipine (e.g., Adalat, Procardia) or
• Oral contraceptives (�birth control pills�) containing ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone (e.g., Brevicon, Loestrin, Modicon, Ortho-Novum) or
• Quinidine (e.g., Cardioquin, Quinidex Extentabs) or
• Rifabutin (e.g., Mycobutin) or
• Saquinavir (e.g., Fortovase, Invirase) or
• Sildenafil (e.g., Viagra) or
• Tricyclic antidepressants (medicine for depression) or
• Verapamil (e.g., Calan, Isoptin) or
• Warfarin (e.g., Coumadin) - Use of atazanavir with these medicines may increase the amount of these medicines in your body and increase your chance of getting side effects from these medicines.

• Antiacids or
• Buffered medicines - Atazanavir should be taken two hours before or one hour after taking these medicines.

• 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
• Indinavir (e.g., Crixivan) or
• Irinotecan (e.g., Camptosar) or
• Lovastatin (e.g., Mevacor ) or
• Methylergonovine (e.g., Methergine) or
• Midazolam (e.g., Versed) or
• Pimozide (e.g., Orap) or
• Proton pump inhibitors (esomeprazole [e.g., Nexium], lansoprazole [e.g., Prevacid], omeprazole [e.g., Prilosec], pantoprazole [e.g., Protonix], rabeprazole [e.g., Aciphex]) or
• Rifampin (e.g., Rifadin) or
• Simvastatin (e.g., Zocor) or
• St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum ) or
• Triazolam (e.g., Halcion ) - These medicines should not be taken with atazanavir because they increase your chance of getting serious side effects.

• Didanosine (e.g., Videx) - Atazanavir should be taken at different time than didanosine so that both will be absorbed from the stomach.

• Efavirenz (e.g., Sustiva) - Use of this medicine with atazanavir may decrease the amount of atazanavir in the body and make your HIV worse.
• H₂ -Receptor antagonists (cimetidine [e.g., Tagamet], famotidine [e.g., Pepcid], nizatidine [e.g., Axid], ranitidine [e.g., Zantac]) or

• Ritonavir (e.g., Norvir) - Use of this medicine with atazanavir may increase the amount of atazanavir in the body and increase your chance of getting side effects from atazanavir.

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

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) or
• Hyperglycemia - Atazanavir may increase or decrease the amount of sugar in your blood, dose adjustments of insulin or other medicines for diabetes may be needed. Talk to your doctor about this.

• Heart conduction problems, preexisting - Atazanavir may change the way your heart beats and increase your chance of getting side effects.

• Hemophilia, type A and B - Use of atazanavir may increase your chance of having serious bleeding problems.

• Hepatitis, or
• Transaminase, elevated - Use of atazanavir may make these problems worse.

• Liver disease - May increase your chance of getting side effects.