What is Etravirine?

Etravirine is an antiviral medication that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body.
Etravirine is used with other medications to treat HIV, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Etravirine is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.
Etravirine is usually given after other antiviral drugs have been tried without successful treatment of HIV.
Etravirine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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

There are many other medicines that can interact with etravirine, or make it less effective. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.
Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor’s advice. Every person with HIV or AIDS should remain under the care of a doctor.
Taking this medication will not prevent you from passing HIV to other people. Avoid having unprotected sex or sharing razors or toothbrushes. Talk with your doctor about safe ways to prevent HIV transmission during sex. Sharing drug or medicine needles is never safe, even for a healthy person.
Etravirine must be taken in combination with other HIV medications. Follow your doctor’s instructions.

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

You should not take etravirine if you are allergic to it.
If you have liver disease, including hepatitis B or C, you may need a etravirine dose adjustment or special tests.
You should not take etravirine together with:

• delavirdine (Rescriptor)
• efavirenz (Sustiva)
• nevirapine (Viramune)
• rifapentine (Priftin), or rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane)
• St. John’s wort
• atazanavir (Reyataz) given with ritonavir (Norvir)
• fosamprenavir (Lexiva) given with ritonavir (Norvir)
• tipranavir (Aptivus) given with ritonavir (Norvir)
• ritonavir (Norvir) in doses of more than 600 milligrams twice daily; or
• seizure medications such as phenytoin (Dilantin), phenobarbital (Solfoton), or carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol)

You must take etravirine together with ritonavir if you are also taking:

• indinavir (Crixivan); or
• nelfinavir (Viracept)

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. HIV can be passed to your baby if you are not properly treated during pregnancy. Take all of your HIV medicines as directed to control your infection.
If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to evaluate any effects of etravirine on the baby.
You should not breast-feed while you are using etravirine. Women with HIV or AIDS should not breast-feed a baby. Even if your baby is born without HIV, the virus may be passed to the baby in your breast milk.

Etravirine Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of Etravirine?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop taking etravirine and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash
• the first sign of any type of skin rash, no matter how mild
• fever, chills, body aches, mouth sores, feeling very tired, or any other signs of new infection
• chest pain, trouble breathing
• confusion, seizure
• urinating less than usual or not at all, swelling, rapid weight gain; or
• nausea, upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)

Less serious side effects may include:

• numbness or tingly feeling in your hands or feet
• dizziness, drowsiness
• blurred vision
• upset stomach, constipation, heartburn, dry mouth
• sleep problems (insomnia), unusual dreams
• increased sweating; 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.

Etravirine Interactions

What other drugs affect Etravirine?

There are many other medicines that can interact with etravirine, or make it less effective. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin)
• clopidogrel (Plavix)
• darunavir (Prezista), lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra)
• dexamethasone (Cortastat, Decadron, Dexasone, Hexadrol, Solurex, and others)
• diazepam (Valium)
• cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune)
• a cholesterol medication such as fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Altocor, Advicor, Mevacor), atorvastatin (Lipitor) or simvastatin (Zocor)
• maraviroc Selzentry)
• methadone (Diskets, Dolophine, Methadose)
• sildenafil (Viagra)
• sirolimus (Rapamune), tacrolimus (Prograf)
• an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin) or rifabutin (Mycobutin)
• an antifungal medication such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Extina, Ketozole, Nizoral, Xolegal), posaconazole (Noxafil), or voriconazole (Vfend); or
• a heart rhythm medication such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin), disopyramide (Norpace), flecainide (Tambocor), mexiletine (Mexitil), propafenone (Rythmol), or quinidine (Quin-G)

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with etravirine. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

What should I avoid while taking Etravirine?

Taking this medication will not prevent you from passing HIV to other people. Avoid having unprotected sex or sharing razors or toothbrushes. Talk with your doctor about safe ways to prevent HIV transmission during sex. Sharing drug or medicine needles is never safe, even for a healthy person.

Etravirine Dosage

How should I take Etravirine?

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Etravirine must be taken in combination with other HIV medications. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
Etravirine works best if you take it after a meal. Do not take it on an empty stomach.
If you cannot swallow an etravirine tablet whole, place it into a glass of water and allow the tablet to disperse in the liquid. The tablet will not dissolve completely. Drink this mixture right away. To make sure you get the entire dose, add a little more liquid to the same glass, swirl gently and drink right away.
Use etravirine regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.
Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor’s advice. Every person with HIV or AIDS should remain under the care of a doctor.
To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood will need to be tested often. Visit your doctor regularly.
Store etravirine at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep the tablets in their original container, along with the packet of moisture-absorbing preservative that comes with the medication.

What happens if I overdose on Etravirine?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What happens if I miss a dose of Etravirine?

If you are less than 6 hours late in taking your medicine, take the missed dose after your next meal. Then return to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Sourced from everydayhealth.com