saquinavir

What is the most important information I should know about saquinavir?

Saquinavir must be taken together with another medicine called ritonavir.

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using. Many drugs can interact, and some drugs should not be used together.

What is saquinavir?

Saquinavir is an antiviral medicine that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from multiplying in your body.

Saquinavir is used together with ritonavir to treat HIV, the virus that can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Neither saquinavir nor ritonavir will cure HIV or AIDS.

Saquinavir may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking saquinavir?

• a serious heart condition called "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker);
• long QT syndrome (in you or a family member);
• severe liver disease;
• low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood;
• if you also take medicine that contains cobicistat; or
• if you have taken rilpivirine in the past 2 weeks.

• other HIV medicines --atazanavir, rilpivirine;
• alfuzosin;
• oral midazolam, or triazolam;
• sildenafil (Revatio, for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension);
• tacrolimus;
• antidepressant or anti-psychotic medicine --chlorpromazine, clozapine, haloperidol, lurasidone, mesoridazine, pimozide, thioridazine, trazodone, ziprasidone;
• cancer medicine --dasatinib, sunitinib;
• certain anti-infective medicines --clarithromycin, dapsone, erythromycin, halofantrine, pentamidine, rifampin;
• cholesterol medication --lovastatin, simvastatin;
• ergot medicine --dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, ergonovine, methylergonovine; or
• heart rhythm medicine --amiodarone, disopyramide, dofetilide, flecainide, lidocaine, propafenone, or quinidine.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• heart disease;
• liver disease (including hepatitis B or C);
• hemophilia (a bleeding disorder);
• cirrhosis, alcoholism;
• diabetes; or
• hereditary galactose intolerance, severe lactase deficiency, or glucose-galactose malabsorption.

To prevent HIV in a newborn baby, use all medications to control your infection during pregnancy. Your name may be listed on an antiviral pregnancy registry.

How should I take saquinavir?

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

Saquinavir must be taken together with ritonavir and it should not be used alone.

You will need frequent medical tests.

Use all HIV medications as directed. Do not change your dose or stop using a medicine without your doctor's advice. Remain under the care of a doctor.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose?

What should I avoid while taking saquinavir?

Using this medicine will not prevent your disease from spreading. Do not have unprotected sex or share razors or toothbrushes. Ask your doctor how to prevent HIV transmission during sex. Sharing drug or medicine needles is never safe.

What are the possible side effects of saquinavir?

• heart rhythm problems --fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath, sudden dizziness (like you might pass out);
• high blood sugar --increased thirst, increased urination, dry mouth, fruity breath odor; or
• liver problems --upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Saquinavir affects your immune system, which may cause certain side effects (even weeks or months after you've taken this medicine). Tell your doctor if you have:

• signs of a new infection --fever, night sweats, swollen glands, cold sores, cough, wheezing, diarrhea, weight loss;
• trouble speaking or swallowing, problems with balance or eye movement, weakness or prickly feeling; or
• swelling in your neck or throat (enlarged thyroid), menstrual changes, impotence.

Common side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain;
• tired feeling; or
• changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist).

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect saquinavir?

Many drugs can affect saquinavir, and some drugs should not be used at the same time. Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed here.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about saquinavir.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 13.02. Revision date: 6/2/2021.