Lopinavir with ritonavir for HIV

About lopinavir with ritonavir

Kaletra® contains two ingredients - lopinavir and ritonavir. These are both antiretroviral medicines prescribed for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Lopinavir is the main active ingredient and ritonavir helps to boost the amount of lopinavir which gets into your bloodstream. Kaletra® 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. Kaletra® 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.

Lopinavir and ritonavir belong to a group of antiretroviral medicines known as protease inhibitors (PIs). They are 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.

Antiretroviral medicines will be prescribed for you by a doctor who is a specialist. It is vital to take your antiretroviral medicines exactly as prescribed in order to maintain success and to help to prevent the virus from becoming resistant to the medicines. These medicines are usually taken for life.

Before taking lopinavir with ritonavir

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 lopinavir with ritonavir it is important that your doctor knows:

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

• Si padece diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

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

• 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 inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).

• If you are being treated for low levels of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism).

• 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 lopinavir with ritonavir

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

• Take Kaletra® exactly as your doctor tells you to - the directions will be printed on the label of the pack to remind you about what the doctor said to you. The usual dose for an adult is two tablets taken twice a day (12 hours apart), although some people can be asked to take four tablets once daily. If you have any difficulties swallowing tablets, let your doctor know about this as the liquid medicine could be more suitable for you.

• Depending upon their age, children can be prescribed tablets or liquid medicine. The dose will depend upon their weight and height. If you (or your child) have been given liquid medicine to take, your doctor will advise you about how much you should take for each dose, and how to measure it out correctly using the dosing syringe provided in the pack. Wash the syringe with water after each use.

• Tablets should be swallowed with a drink of water. Do not crush or break the tablet before you swallow - it should be swallowed whole. You can take Kaletra® tablets either with or without food.

• If you are taking liquid medicine, you should always take your doses with a meal. This is because food in your stomach helps the liquid medicine to be absorbed better by your body.

• Try to take your doses at the same times of day each day, as this will help you to remember to take the tablets/medicine regularly.

• If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless:
  

  • You usually take your doses twice a day and you are more than 6 hours late; in which case do not take the missed dose but do take your next dose when it is due.

  • You usually take your doses once a day and you are more than 12 hours late; in which case do not take the missed dose but do take your next dose when it is due.

Aproveche al máximo su tratamiento

• Acuda regularmente a las citas con su médico para que pueda controlar su evolución. Deberá someterse a análisis de sangre periódicos.

• It is important that you continue to take 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 this medicine, 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 your other medicines. This is because some remedies interfere with antiretroviral medicines and stop them from working properly. In particular, do not take the herbal remedy St John's wort.

• Si padece diabetes, es posible que tenga que controlar su nivel de azúcar en sangre (glucosa) con más frecuencia, ya que este medicamento puede afectar a los niveles de azúcar en sangre. Su médico le aconsejará al respecto.

• 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 this medicine regularly for as long as your doctor tells you to, even if you feel well. This is to keep your immune system healthy.

Can lopinavir with ritonavir 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 Kaletra®. 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.

Important: some people taking Kaletra® have developed inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) - the most common signs of this are persistent stomach pain, feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting), high temperature (fever), and feeling generally unwell. Let your doctor know straightaway if you develop these symptoms.

Si experimenta cualquier otro síntoma que considere que puede deberse al medicamento, consulte a su médico o farmacéutico.

How to store lopinavir with ritonavir

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

• Store Kaletra® tablets in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.

• Store Kaletra® Oral Solution in a refrigerator until it is needed. Once a bottle has been opened it may be kept out of the fridge providing it is in a cool place. It will keep for six weeks after being opened - after this time, make sure you have a fresh supply.

• It is a good idea to write on the label the date you removed the bottle from the refrigerator

Información importante sobre todos los medicamentos