The combination of two anti-HIV drugs places the consumers at an increased risk of experiencing dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities, FDA officials announce.
A recently-released FDA statement reported that taking saquinavir (Invirase) combined with ritonavir (Norvir) is associated with adverse heart effects.
The two drugs are classified as protease inhibitors which suppress HIV replication in the body; their application, however, is rather different.
Ritonavir is routinely used as a booster of other drugs in the class rather than as therapy on its own. Saquinavir, on the other hand, is always used with a booster.
The FDA statement revealed that the combination of the two drugs is associated with a dose-dependent prolongation of the QT and PR intervals on an electrocardiogram, leading to torsades de pointes or heart block.
These conditions are commonly presented as lightheadedness, fainting, or abnormal heart beats. They sometimes may progress to ventricular fibrillation, which can be life-threatening.
FDA officials, therefore, urged HIV positive individuals, particularly those taking medications known to cause QT interval prolongation (Class IA or Class III anti-arrhythmic drugs) along with patients with a history of QT interval prolongation, preexisting conduction system disease, ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, or underlying structural heart disease, to avoid the consumption of the combination of the two drugs.
source: presstv.ir
No comments:
Post a Comment