Revatio POS Drug Interactions

Unless otherwise specified, drug interaction studies have been performed in healthy adult male subjects using oral sildenafil. These results are relevant to other populations and routes of administration.
Effects of other medicinal products on intravenous sildenafil: Predictions based on a pharmacokinetic model suggest that drug-drug interactions with CYP3A4 inhibitors should be less than observed after oral sildenafil administration. The magnitude of the interaction is expected to be reduced for intravenous sildenafil, as interactions for oral sildenafil are due, at least in part, to effects on oral first pass metabolism.
Effects of other medicinal products on oral sildenafil: In vitro studies: Sildenafil metabolism is principally mediated by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms 3A4 (major route) and 2C9 (minor route). Therefore, inhibitors of these isoenzymes may reduce sildenafil clearance and inducers of these isoenzymes may increase sildenafil clearance.
In vivo studies: In a study of healthy male volunteers co-administration of the endothelin antagonist bosentan, which is a moderate inducer of CYP3A4, CYP2C9 and possibly of CYP2C19, at steady state (125 mg twice a day) with sildenafil at steady state (80 mg three times a day) resulted in a 62.6% decrease of sildenafil AUC and a 55.4% decrease in sildenafil C_max (see Dosage & Administration). The combination of both drugs did not lead to clinically significant changes of blood pressure (supine and standing) and was well tolerated in healthy volunteers.
Efficacy of sildenafil should be closely monitored in patients using concomitant potent CYP3A4 inducers, such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, St John's wort and rifampicin.
Co-administration of the HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir, which is a highly potent CYP3A4 inhibitor, at steady state (500 mg twice a day) with sildenafil (100 mg single dose) resulted in a 300% (4-fold) increase in sildenafil C_max and a 1,000% (11-fold) increase in sildenafil plasma AUC. At 24 hours, the plasma levels of sildenafil were still approximately 200 ng/mL, compared to approximately 5 ng/mL when sildenafil was dosed alone. This is consistent with ritonavir's marked effects on a broad range of cytochrome P450 substrates. Based on these pharmacokinetic results co-administration of sildenafil with ritonavir is not recommended (see Dosage & Administration).
Co-administration of the HIV protease inhibitor saquinavir, a CYP3A4 inhibitor, at steady state (1200 mg three times a day) with sildenafil (100 mg single dose) resulted in a 140% increase in sildenafil C_max and a 210% increase in sildenafil AUC. Sildenafil had no effect on saquinavir pharmacokinetics. For dose recommendations, see Dosage & Administration. The most potent CYP3A4 inhibitors such as ketoconazole and itraconazole would be expected to have effects similar to those of ritonavir (see Dosage & Administration).
When a single 100 mg dose of sildenafil was administered with erythromycin, a moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor, at steady state (500 mg twice a day for 5 days), there was a 182% increase in sildenafil systemic exposure (AUC). For dose recommendations, see Dosage & Administration.
CYP3A4 inhibitors like clarithromycin, telithromycin and nefazodone are expected to have an effect in between that of ritonavir and CYP3A4 inhibitors like saquinavir or erythromycin, a seven-fold increase in exposure is assumed. Therefore dose adjustments are recommended when using these CYP3A4 inhibitors (Dosage & Administration).
In healthy male volunteers, there was no evidence of an effect of azithromycin (500 mg daily for 3 days) on the AUC, C_max, T_max, elimination rate constant, or subsequent half-life of sildenafil or its principal circulating metabolite.
Cimetidine (800 mg), a cytochrome P450 inhibitor and a non-specific CYP3A4 inhibitor, caused a 56% increase in plasma sildenafil concentrations when co-administered with sildenafil (50 mg) to healthy volunteers.
The population pharmacokinetic analysis in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients suggested that co-administration of beta-blockers in combination with CYP3A4 substrates might result in an additional increase in sildenafil exposure compared with administration of CYP3A4 substrates alone.
Grapefruit juice is a weak inhibitor of CYP3A4 gut wall metabolism and may give rise to modest increases in plasma levels of sildenafil. No dose adjustment is required but the concomitant use of sildenafil and grapefruit juice is not recommended.
Single doses of antacid (magnesium hydroxide/aluminium hydroxide) did not affect the bioavailability of sildenafil.
Concomitant administration of oral contraceptives (ethinyl estradiol 30 µg and levonorgestrel 150 µg) did not affect the pharmacokinetics of sildenafil.
Nicorandil is a hybrid of potassium channel activator and nitrate. Due to the nitrate component it has the potential to have serious interaction with sildenafil.
Population Pharmacokinetic Analyses: CYP3A4 Inhibitors and Beta Blockers: A population pharmacokinetic analysis of data from patients in clinical trials indicated an approximately 30% reduction in sildenafil clearance when sildenafil was co-administered with mild/moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors and an approximately 34% reductions in sildenafil clearance when co-administered with beta-blockers. Sildenafil exposure without concomitant medication is shown to be 5-fold higher at a dose of 80 mg three times a day compared to its exposure at a dose of 20 mg three times a day. This concentration range covers the increased sildenafil exposure observed in specifically-designed drug interaction studies with CYP3A4 inhibitors (except for potent inhibitors such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, and ritonavir).
CYP3A4 Inducers: A population pharmacokinetic analysis of data from patients in clinical trials indicated an approximately 3-fold increase in sildenafil clearance when sildenafil was co-administered with mild CYP3A4 inducers, which is consistent with the effect of bosentan on sildenafil clearance in healthy volunteers. Concomitant administration of potent CYP3A4 inducers is expected to cause substantial decreases in plasma levels of sildenafil.
A population pharmacokinetic analysis of sildenafil data from adult PAH patients in clinical trials including a 12 week study to assess the efficacy and safety of oral sildenafil 20 mg three times a day when added to a stable dose of bosentan (62.5 mg - 125 mg twice a day) indicated a decrease in sildenafil exposure with bosentan co-administration, similar to that observed in healthy volunteers (see Dosage & Administration, Precautions and Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics under Actions).
Effects of sildenafil on other medicinal products: In vitro studies: Sildenafil is a weak inhibitor of the cytochrome P450 isoforms 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 2E1 and 3A4 (IC₅₀ >150 µM). Sildenafil is not expected to affect the pharmacokinetics of compounds which are substrates of these CYP enzymes at clinically relevant concentrations.
In vivo studies: Consistent with its known effects on the nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway (see Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics under Actions), sildenafil was shown to potentiate the hypotensive effects of nitrates, and its co-administration with nitric oxide donors or nitrates in any form is therefore contraindicated (see Contraindications).
In three specific drug-drug interaction studies, the alpha-blocker doxazosin (4 mg and 8 mg) and sildenafil (25 mg, 50 mg, or 100 mg) were administered simultaneously to patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) stabilized on doxazosin therapy. In these study populations, mean additional reductions of supine systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 7/7 mmHg, 9/5 mmHg, and 8/4 mmHg, respectively, and mean additional reductions of standing blood pressure of 6/6 mmHg, 11/4 mmHg, and 4/5 mmHg, respectively were observed. When sildenafil and doxazosin were administered simultaneously to patients stabilized on doxazosin therapy, there were infrequent reports of patients who experienced symptomatic postural hypotension. These reports included dizziness and lightheadedness, but not syncope. Concomitant administration of sildenafil to patients taking alpha-blocker therapy may lead to symptomatic hypotension in a few susceptible individuals (see Precautions).
In a specific interaction study, where sildenafil (100 mg) was co-administered with amlodipine in hypertensive patients, there was an additional mean maximum reduction on supine systolic blood pressure of 8 mmHg. The corresponding additional mean maximum reduction in supine diastolic blood pressure was 7 mmHg. These additional blood pressure reductions were of a similar magnitude to those seen when sildenafil was administered alone to healthy volunteers (see Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics under Actions).
No significant interactions were shown when sildenafil (50 mg) was co-administered with tolbutamide (250 mg) or warfarin (40 mg), both of which are metabolized by CYP2C9.
Sildenafil had no significant effect on atorvastatin exposure (AUC increased 11%), suggesting that sildenafil does not have a clinically relevant effect on CYP3A4.
No interactions were observed between sildenafil (100 mg single dose) and acenocoumarol.
Sildenafil (50 mg) did not potentiate the increase in bleeding time caused by acetyl salicylic acid (150 mg).
Sildenafil (50 mg) did not potentiate the hypotensive effects of alcohol in healthy volunteers with mean maximum blood alcohol levels of 0.08% (80 mg/dL).
In a study of healthy volunteers sildenafil at steady state (80 mg three times a day) resulted in a 49.8% increase in bosentan AUC and a 42% increase in bosentan C_max (125 mg twice a day) (see Dosage & Administration).
A population pharmacokinetic analysis of data from a study of adult PAH patients on background bosentan therapy (62.5 mg - 125 mg twice a day) indicated an increase of bosentan AUC with co-administration of steady-state sildenafil (20 mg three times a day) of a smaller magnitude than seen in healthy volunteers when co-administered with 80 mg sildenafil three times a day (see Dosage & Administration and Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics under Actions).
Sildenafil (100 mg single dose) did not affect the steady state pharmacokinetics of the HIV protease inhibitors, saquinavir and ritonavir, both of which are CYP3A4 substrates.
Riociguat: Preclinical studies showed additive systemic blood pressure lowering effect when PDE5 inhibitors were combined with riociguat. In clinical studies, riociguat has been shown to augment the hypotensive effects of PDE5 inhibitors. There was no evidence of favourable clinical effect of the combination in the population studied. Concomitant use of riociguat with PDE5 inhibitors, including sildenafil, is contraindicated.
Sildenafil had no clinically significant impact on the plasma levels of oral contraceptives (ethinyl estradiol 30 μg and levonorgestrel 150 µg).
Pediatric population: Interaction studies have only been performed in adults.