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:

• Wenn Sie schwanger sind, ein Kind erwarten oder stillen.

• Wenn Sie Diabetes (Diabetes mellitus) haben.

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

• Wenn Sie eine Leberentzündung (Hepatitis genannt) oder ein anderes Leberproblem haben.

• Wenn Sie ein Problem mit der Funktionsweise Ihrer Nieren haben.

• If you have inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).

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

• Wenn Sie entweder an Hämophilie oder Porphyrie leiden, beides seltene vererbbare Blutkrankheiten.

• Wenn Sie andere Arzneimittel einnehmen. Dazu gehören alle Arzneimittel, die ohne Rezept erhältlich sind, sowie pflanzliche und ergänzende Arzneimittel.

• Wenn Sie schon einmal eine allergische Reaktion auf ein Arzneimittel hatten.

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.

Das Beste aus Ihrer Behandlung herausholen

• Halten Sie Ihre regelmäßigen Termine bei Ihrem Arzt ein, damit Ihre Fortschritte überwacht werden können. Sie müssen regelmäßig Blutuntersuchungen durchführen lassen.

• 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.

• Befolgen Sie sorgfältig alle Ratschläge Ihres Arztes, Ihre Lebensweise zu ändern, um das Risiko von Schäden an Ihrem Herz und Ihren Blutgefäßen zu verringern. Dazu kann gehören, mit dem Rauchen aufzuhören, sich gesund zu ernähren und regelmäßig Sport zu treiben.

• Bei manchen Menschen, die antiretrovirale Arzneimittel einnehmen, verändert sich die Verteilung des Körperfetts im Körper. Dies kann zu einer Veränderung des Körperbildes führen. Ihr Arzt wird mit Ihnen über die Möglichkeit einer solchen Veränderung sprechen.

• Die Behandlung mit antiretroviralen Medikamenten kann zwar das Risiko einer HIV-Übertragung durch sexuelle Kontakte verringern, aber nicht verhindern. Es ist wichtig, dass Sie Kondome benutzen.

• Es ist nicht ungewöhnlich, dass sich Menschen mit HIV niedergeschlagen oder sogar depressiv fühlen, vor allem kurz nachdem die Diagnose gestellt und die Behandlung begonnen wurde. Wenn Sie sich deprimiert fühlen oder beunruhigende Gedanken haben, sich selbst zu schaden, sollten Sie sofort mit Ihrem Arzt sprechen.

• Einige Menschen, die antiretrovirale Arzneimittel (insbesondere über einen langen Zeitraum) eingenommen haben, haben eine sogenannte Osteonekrose entwickelt. Dabei handelt es sich um eine Knochenkrankheit, bei der das Knochengewebe abstirbt, weil es nicht mehr ausreichend durchblutet wird. Dies führt zu Gelenkschmerzen und Steifheit und kann zu Bewegungseinschränkungen führen. Wenn Sie eines dieser Symptome bemerken, sollten Sie mit Ihrem Arzt sprechen.

• 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.

• Wenn Sie Diabetes haben, müssen Sie Ihren Blutzucker (Glukose) möglicherweise häufiger kontrollieren, da dieses Arzneimittel den Blutzuckerspiegel beeinflussen kann. Ihr Arzt wird Sie darüber informieren.

• Wenn Sie sich einer Operation oder einer zahnärztlichen Behandlung unterziehen müssen, teilen Sie der behandelnden Person mit, welche Arzneimittel Sie einnehmen.

• 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.

Wenn Sie andere Symptome haben, von denen Sie glauben, dass sie auf das Arzneimittel zurückzuführen sind, sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Arzt oder Apotheker, um weiteren Rat zu erhalten.

How to store lopinavir with ritonavir

• Bewahren Sie alle Arzneimittel außerhalb der Reichweite und Sichtweite von Kindern auf.

• 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

Wichtige Informationen über alle Arzneimittel