Darunavir is used together with other medicines to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in adults and children (3 years of age and older).
Take Darunavir exactly as directed by your doctor or according to the instructions on the label. Do not take more or less than instructed by your doctor.
Take it together with food. Try to take it at the same time each day.
If you are taking an oral suspension, shake the bottle well before you take it to ensure that the liquid is evenly mixed. Use the measuring spoon or cup provided to measure your dose.
Darunavir must be taken in combination with a low dose of ritonavir and other anti-HIV medicines. Your doctor will discuss with you which combination of medicines is best for you.
The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the dosage and course of your treatment depending on your condition.
Darunavir must be taken regularly for it to be effective. Continue taking this medicine even when you feel better. Do not stop taking it unless instructed by the doctor.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If a dose is more than 6 hours late on the twice daily regimen (or more than 12 hours late on the once daily regimen), skip the missed dose and return to your normal dosing schedule.
Do NOT double a dose under any circumstances.
If you often forget to take your medicine, let your doctor and pharmacist know.
Do not take this medicine if you ever had an allergic reaction (rashes, breathlessness, swollen eyes) to Darunavir or any other similar medicines.
Alert your doctor if you have severe liver disease as this medicine may not be suitable for you.
Do not give this medicine to children below 3 years old unless instructed to do so by the doctor.
Do not take Darunavir with medicines for erectile dysfunction, allergy, sleep disorder or anxiety, stomach problems, gout, mood disorder, migraine, heart disease, high cholesterol level, infections (e.g. tuberculosis), enlarged prostate, pulmonary arterial hypertension (high blood pressure in the blood vessels leading to the lungs), or certain herbal medicine. Please see section “Can I take this with other medicines?” below for more information.
Inform
your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- allergy to sulfonamide (medicine used to treat infections)
- liver disease e.g. hepatitis
- haemophilia (blood clot disorder)
- diabetes
Let your doctor know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Do not breastfeed while you are being treated with this medicine. If you have HIV, it is best that you do not breastfeed as HIV passes into the breast milk. Avoid breastfeeding in order to reduce the risk of passing HIV to your baby. It is recommended to give your baby commercial infant formula provided that you have access to clean water and facilities.
Darunavir is not a cure for HIV infection. It only helps to keep the virus in check and can help improve the quality of life. It does not prevent the spread of HIV to other people.
This medicine does not reduce your risk of passing the HIV infection to others through sexual contact or through contamination with infected blood. Ensure that you use proper precautions to avoid spreading HIV to others.
Darunavir may weaken your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to infections. Avoid crowded places and people who are sick to minimise the risk of catching an infection. Always keep your doctor updated on your condition and go for your appointed check-ups.
To check the appropriateness of the treatment, your doctor may need to perform genetic testing before giving you this medicine.
Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly. You may need to have routine tests (e.g. certain blood tests such as CD4 count, blood sugar and cholesterol level, liver function test). Your doctor will advise you about how often you will need to have these tests.
Darunavir may cause any of the following side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, headache, loss of appetite, and skin rash.
If you develop rashes, breathlessness, swollen mouth or eyes, stop taking Darunavir and inform your doctor quickly. These could be signs of an allergic reaction.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor immediately if you experience:
- signs of liver problems e.g. dark urine, light coloured stool, yellowing of the skin or eyes, lack of appetite, feeling tired, stomach pain or throwing up
- serious skin reactions such as rashes with skin peeling or blisters (with or without fever)
- signs of infections e.g. fever, chills, night sweats, flu-like symptoms, sore throat, mouth sore, tiredness, persistent cough, painful or burning sensation when urinating
Inform your doctor if any of
these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other
side effects.
Do not take Darunavir with the
following medicines:
- medicine for erectile dysfunction e.g. avanafil
- medicines for allergy e.g. astemizole, terfenadine
- medicines for sleep disorder or anxiety e.g. triazolam, midazolam (oral)
- stomach medicines e.g. cisapride
- medicines for mood disorder e.g. lurasidone, pimozide, quetiapine, sertindole
- medicines for migraine e.g. ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, ergometrine, methylergonovine
- medicines for heart disease e.g. amiodarone, bepridil, dronedarone, quinidine, ranolazine
- cholesterol-lowering medicines e.g. lovastatin, simvastatin
- medicine to treat TB (an infection known as tuberculosis) e.g. rifampicin
- medicines to treat enlarged prostate e.g. alfuzosin
- medicines to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (high blood pressure in the blood vessels leading to the lungs) e.g. sildenafil
- St. John's wort (herbal medicine)
If you have liver or kidney disease, do not take colchicine (medicine for gout) with Darunavir.
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any of these medicines:
- medicines for epilepsy (seizures or fits) e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine
- certain antibiotics e.g. clarithromycin
- medicines for fungal infection e.g. itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Darunavir.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.
Do not refrigerate or freeze oral suspension.
The medicine must not be used past the expiry date.
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