Atazanavir para el VIH

About atazanavir

Atazanavir is an antiretroviral medicine. It is prescribed for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It slows the progress of HIV infection, but it is not a cure. HIV destroys cells in the body, called CD4 T cells. These cells are a type of white blood cell and are important because they are involved in protecting your body from infection. If left untreated, the HIV infection weakens your immune system so that your body cannot defend itself against bacteria, viruses and other germs. Atazanavir slows down the progress of HIV infection by reducing the amount of virus in your body. It does this by stopping the production of a protein that the virus needs to copy (replicate) itself.

Atazanavir will be prescribed for you by a doctor who is a specialist. It belongs to a group of antiretroviral medicines known as protease inhibitors (PIs). It is given alongside a number of other antiretroviral medicines, as part of a combination therapy. Taking three or more antiretroviral medicines at the same time is more effective than taking one alone. Taking a combination of different medicines also reduces the risk that the virus will become resistant to any individual medicine. One brand of atazanavir called Evotaz® also contains a medicine called cobicistat. Cobicistat boosts the effect of atazanavir. Not all of the information in this document may apply to the combination brand - please refer to the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack.

Es fundamental tomar los antirretrovíricos exactamente como se prescriben para mantener el éxito y evitar que el virus se vuelva resistente a los medicamentos. Estos medicamentos suelen tomarse de por vida.

Before taking atazanavir

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking atazanavir it is important that your doctor knows:

• Si está embarazada, esperando un bebé o en período de lactancia.

• Si padece diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

• Si tiene inflamación del hígado (llamada hepatitis), o cualquier otro problema hepático.

• Si tiene algún problema con el funcionamiento de sus riñones.

• If you have been told you have a heart rhythm disorder.

• Si padece hemofilia o porfiria, que son trastornos sanguíneos hereditarios poco frecuentes.

• Si está tomando otros medicamentos. Esto incluye todos los medicamentos que se pueden comprar sin receta, así como las hierbas medicinales y los medicamentos complementarios.

• Si alguna vez ha tenido una reacción alérgica a un medicamento.
  

How to take atazanavir

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about atazanavir, and it will also provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

• Take atazanavir exactly as your doctor tells you to. It is usual to take one dose each day. There are several strengths of atazanavir capsule available - your doctor will tell you which is right for you (or your child). It is important that you take atazanavir with food, as this will help your body to absorb the medicine. Swallow the capsule whole with a drink of water. You will also be asked to take a booster medicine (such as ritonavir or cobicistat) at the same time as you take atazanavir.

• Try to take atazanavir at the same time of day each day, as this will help you to remember to take it regularly.

• If you forget to take a dose, take it (with something to eat) as soon as you remember. If you do not remember until the next day then leave out the forgotten dose and take your dose that it is due on that day. Do not take two doses together to make up for a missed dose.

Aproveche al máximo su tratamiento

• Visite regularmente a su médico para que pueda controlar su evolución. Deberá hacerse análisis de sangre periódicos para comprobar la eficacia de los medicamentos.

• It is important that you continue to take atazanavir and your other antiretroviral treatment regularly. This will help to prevent the HIV from becoming resistant to the medicines you are taking. Even if you miss only a small number of doses, the virus can become resistant to treatment.

• If you develop any infection soon after you start this treatment, let your doctor know. As a result of taking atazanavir, your immune system may start fighting an infection which was present before you started the treatment, but which you may not have been aware of.

• Siga al pie de la letra las recomendaciones de su médico sobre cambios en el estilo de vida para reducir el riesgo de daños en el corazón y los vasos sanguíneos. Por ejemplo, dejar de fumar, comer sano y hacer ejercicio con regularidad.

• Algunas personas que toman antirretrovirales desarrollan cambios en la distribución de la grasa corporal. Esto puede provocar cambios en la imagen corporal. Tu médico hablará contigo sobre esta posibilidad.

• Aunque el tratamiento con antirretrovíricos puede reducir el riesgo de transmitir el VIH a otras personas a través del contacto sexual, no lo detiene. Es importante que utilices preservativos.

• No es infrecuente que las personas seropositivas se sientan decaídas o incluso deprimidas, sobre todo poco después del diagnóstico y del inicio del tratamiento. Si te sientes deprimido o tienes pensamientos angustiosos sobre hacerte daño, habla con tu médico inmediatamente.

• Algunas personas que han tomado antirretrovirales (sobre todo durante mucho tiempo) han desarrollado una enfermedad llamada osteonecrosis. Se trata de una enfermedad ósea en la que el tejido óseo muere debido a la reducción del riego sanguíneo. Produce dolores y rigidez en las articulaciones y puede dificultar el movimiento. Si notas alguno de estos síntomas, habla con tu médico.

• If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are suitable to take with atazanavir and your other medicines. This is because some medicines and herbal remedies interfere with atazanavir and stop it from working properly. In particular, do not take indigestion remedies during the two hours before and the two hours after you take your doses, and do not take St John's wort.

• If you have diabetes you may need to check your blood sugar (glucose) more frequently as this medicine can affect the levels of sugar in your blood. Your doctor will advise you about this.

• Si va a someterse a una operación o a un tratamiento dental, comunique a la persona que lleve a cabo el tratamiento qué medicamentos está tomando.

• Treatment for HIV is usually lifelong. Continue to take atazanavir regularly for as long as your doctor tells you to, even if you feel well. This is to keep your immune system healthy.

Can atazanavir cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with atazanavir. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Some people taking atazanavir have developed kidney stones - let your doctor know as soon as possible if you feel pain in your side or when you pass urine, or if you notice any blood in your urine.

If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the medicine, speak with your doctor or pharmacist for further information.

How to store atazanavir

• Mantenga todos los medicamentos fuera del alcance y de la vista de los niños.

• Almacenar en un lugar fresco y seco, lejos del calor y la luz directos.

Información importante sobre todos los medicamentos