Tipranavir for HIV

About tipranavir

Tipranavir is an antiretroviral medicine. It is prescribed for infezione da virus dell'immunodeficienza umana (HIV). It 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. Tipranavir 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.

Tipranavir will be prescribed for you by a doctor who is a specialist. It belongs to a group of antiretroviral medicines known as protease inhibitors (PIs). It is 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.

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.

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 tipranavir it is important that your doctor knows:

• Se sei incinta, stai cercando di avere un bambino o stai allattando.

• Se hai il diabete (diabete mellito).

• Se hai un'infiammazione al fegato (chiamata epatite) o qualsiasi altro problema al fegato.

• If you have been told you are at risk of bleeding, such as if you have recently had surgery or an accident.

• Se hai emofilia o porfiria, che sono entrambi rari disturbi ereditari del sangue.

• Se stai assumendo altri medicinali. Questo include qualsiasi medicinale disponibile per l'acquisto senza prescrizione, così come i medicinali a base di erbe e complementari.

• Se hai mai avuto una reazione allergica a un medicinale.

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about tipranavir, and it will also provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

• Take tipranavir exactly as your doctor tells you to. The adult dose is two capsules twice daily, at the same time as a medicine called ritonavir - take the doses 12 hours apart. Ritonavir is prescribed to boost the action of tipranavir, so it is important that you take these medicines together. If your child has been given liquid medicine to take, your doctor will advise you about how much you should give for each dose. The directions for taking the medicine will also be printed on the label of the pack to remind you about what the doctor said to you.

• Tipranavir should be taken with food, so after a meal or with a snack. Swallow the capsules whole with a drink of water. Do not crush or open them.

• Try to take tipranavir at the same times of day each day (in the morning and evening), as this will help you to remember to take it regularly.

• If you forget to take a dose on time, take it as soon as you remember providing it is within five hours of the time you should have taken it. If it is more than five hours since you should have taken it, leave out the missed dose but remember to take your next dose when it is due. Do not take two doses together to make up for a missed dose.

Instructions for using the dosing syringe for Aptivus® Oral Solution

1. Remove the bottle cap.

2. Make sure the plunger of the syringe is pushed in fully, then insert the syringe into the adapter.

3. Capovolgi la bottiglia (con la siringa collegata ad essa).

4. Gently pull out the plunger of the syringe so that the medicine fills the syringe to the mark which corresponds to your child's dose.

5. Rimettere la bottiglia nella posizione corretta e rimuovere la siringa dalla bottiglia.

6. Put the tip of the syringe into your child's mouth, and gently push the plunger so that the medicine is released.

7. Replace the bottle cap.

• Keep your regular appointments with your doctor so that your progress can be monitored. You will need to have regular blood tests, particularly when you first start taking tipranavir.

• It is important that you continue to take tipranavir and your other 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 tipranavir, 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.

• Segui attentamente qualsiasi consiglio che il tuo medico ti dà riguardo ai cambiamenti dello stile di vita per ridurre il rischio di danni al cuore e ai vasi sanguigni. Questi possono includere smettere di fumare, mangiare in modo sano e fare esercizio fisico regolarmente.

• Alcune persone che assumono farmaci antiretrovirali sviluppano cambiamenti nel modo in cui il grasso corporeo è distribuito nel corpo. Questo può comportare cambiamenti nell'immagine corporea. Il tuo medico discuterà con te la possibilità di questo.

• Anche se il trattamento con farmaci antiretrovirali può ridurre il rischio di trasmettere l'HIV ad altri attraverso il contatto sessuale, non lo elimina completamente. È importante che usi i preservativi.

• Non è raro che le persone con HIV si sentano giù o addirittura depresse, soprattutto subito dopo che è stata fatta la diagnosi e iniziato il trattamento. Se hai sentimenti di depressione o pensieri angoscianti riguardo al farti del male, dovresti parlarne con il tuo medico immediatamente.

• Alcune persone che hanno assunto farmaci antiretrovirali (soprattutto per un lungo periodo) hanno sviluppato una condizione chiamata osteonecrosi. Questa è una malattia ossea in cui il tessuto osseo muore a causa di una ridotta fornitura di sangue. Porta a dolori articolari e rigidità, e può causare difficoltà nei movimenti. Se noti uno di questi sintomi, parla con il tuo medico.

• If you buy any medicines or herbal remedies, check with a pharmacist that they are suitable to take with tipranavir and your other medicines. This is because some remedies interfere with tipranavir and stop it from working properly. In particular, do not take indigestion remedies during the two hours before or during the two hours after you take your doses. Also, do not take St John's wort.

• Se hai il diabete, potresti dover controllare il livello di zucchero (glucosio) nel sangue più frequentemente, poiché questo medicinale può influenzare i livelli di zucchero nel sangue. Il tuo medico ti consiglierà a riguardo.

• Se devi sottoporti a un'operazione o a un trattamento dentistico, informa la persona che esegue il trattamento sui medicinali che stai assumendo.

• Treatment for HIV is usually lifelong. Continue to take tipranavir regularly for as long as your doctor tells you to, even if you feel well. This is to keep your immune system healthy.

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 tipranavir. 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.

Se si verificano altri sintomi che ritieni possano essere dovuti al medicinale, parla con il tuo medico o farmacista per ulteriori consigli.

• Tenere tutti i medicinali fuori dalla portata e dalla vista dei bambini.

• Store unopened packs of Aptivus® Capsules in a refrigerator. Once opened, they can be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light for up to 60 days.

• Store Aptivus® Oral Solution at room temperature - do fare affidamento refrigerate. Once a bottle has been opened it will keep for 60 days - after this time, make sure you have a fresh supply. If crystals start to form on the top of the medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist to replace the bottle. You should continue to take the medicine until the fresh supply is available.