Saquinavir (Systemic)

Brand Names : Fortovase, Invirase

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 saquinavir, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to saquinavir. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Studies have not been done in humans. However, saquinavir has not been reported to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether saquinavir passes into human 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 - There is no specific information comparing use of saquinavir in children with use in other age groups.

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 saquinavir 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. When you are taking saquinavir, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Astemizole (e.g., Hismanal) or
• Cisapride (e.g., Propulsid) or
• Ergot medicines (dihydroergotamine [e.g., D.H.E. 45], ergoloid mesylates [e.g., Hydergine], ergotamine [e.g., Ergotrate], methylergonovine [e.g., Methergine], methysergide [e.g., Sansert]) or
• Midazolam (e.g., Versed) or
• Terfenadine (e.g., Seldane) or
• Triazolam (e.g., Halcion) - There is a possibility that saquinavir may interfere with the removal of these medicines from the body, which could lead to serious side effects

• Calcium channel blocking agents (bepridil [e.g., Bepadin], diltiazem [e.g., Cardizem], felodipine [e.g., Plendil], flunarizine [e.g., Sibelium], isradipine [e.g., DynaCirc], nicardipine [e.g., Cardene], nifedipine [e.g., Procardia], nimodipine [e.g., Nimotop], verapamil [e.g., Calan]) or
• Quinidine (e.g., Quinidex) - There is a possibility that saquinavir may interfere with the removal of these medicines from the body, which could lead to increased side effects

• Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
• Dexamethasone (e.g., Decadron) or
• Phenobarbital (e.g., Luminal) or
• Phenytoin (e.g., Dilantin) or
• Rifabutin (e.g., Mycobutin) or
• Rifampin (e.g., Rifadin) - These medicines may decrease the amount of saquinavir in the body

• Delavirdine (e.g., Rescriptor) or
• Nevirapine (e.g., Viramune) or
• Ritonavir (e.g., Norvir) - This medicine may increase the amount of saquinavir in the body, which could lead to increased side effects

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

• Hemophilia - Possible increased risk of bleeding

• Liver disease - Effects of saquinavir may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body; also saquinavir has been reported to cause unwanted effects on the liver