What Is Prezista Used For?

Prezista contains darunavir, an antiretroviral medicine that helps control HIV infection by reducing the amount of virus in your body.

Primary Uses

Prezista is used to treat HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection in adults and children 6 years of age or older weighing more than 20 kg.

How It Works

Prezista belongs to a group of medicines called protease inhibitors. It works by reducing the amount of HIV in your body, which improves your immune system and reduces the risk of developing illnesses related to HIV infection. It must be combined with cobicistat or ritonavir and other anti-HIV medicines to be effective.

How to Take Prezista

Always take Prezista exactly as your doctor has told you. It must be taken with food and combined with ritonavir or cobicistat to work properly.

Dosage Instructions

Adults: The usual dose is 800 mg once daily or 600 mg twice daily, taken with 100 mg ritonavir or 150 mg cobicistat, always with food. Children 6 years and older: Your doctor will determine the right dose based on your child’s weight. You must eat a meal or snack within 30 minutes before taking Prezista. Swallow tablets with water, milk, or any nutritional drink.

What If You Miss a Dose?

If taking once daily: Take the missed dose immediately if you remember within 12 hours. If more than 12 hours have passed, skip the missed dose and take your next dose as usual. If taking twice daily: Take the missed dose immediately if you remember within 6 hours. If more than 6 hours have passed, skip the missed dose and take your next dose as usual. Always take with ritonavir or cobicistat and food.

Side Effects

Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.

Common Side Effects

These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Indigestion
• Passing wind
• Rash
• Itching or hives on skin
• Weakness or lack of energy
• Feeling tired

Important Warnings

There are important safety considerations and people who should not take Prezista.

Who Should Not Take Prezista

Do not use if you are allergic to darunavir, cobicistat, ritonavir, or any ingredients. Do not use with certain heart medications (amiodarone, bepridil, disopyramide, flecainide, mexiletine, propafenone, lidocaine, quinidine, dronedarone, ivabradine, ranolazine), sleep/anxiety medications (midazolam, triazolam), migraine medications (ergot alkaloids), allergy medications (astemizole, terfenadine), stomach medications (cisapride), psychiatric medications (lurasidone, pimozide), prostate medications (alfuzosin), certain cholesterol medications (lovastatin, simvastatin, lomitapide), blood thinners (apixaban), seizure medications (carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin), tuberculosis medications (rifampicin), hepatitis C medications (elbasvir/grazoprevir), St John’s wort, constipation medications (naloxegol), or premature ejaculation medications (dapoxetine).

Medical Conditions to Discuss

Tell your doctor if you have liver problems (including hepatitis B or C), diabetes, hemophilia, or allergies to sulfa medicines. Prezista may increase blood sugar levels and bleeding risk in patients with hemophilia.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Do not take Prezista with cobicistat if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, you must not take Prezista with ritonavir unless specifically approved by your doctor. HIV-infected women should not breastfeed due to risk of HIV transmission through breast milk.

Drug Interactions

Many medications can interact with Prezista, affecting how it works or increasing side effects.

• Heart medications (amlodipine, diltiazem, felodipine, nifedipine, nicardipine, tadalafil, verapamil)
• Blood thinners (dabigatran etexilate, edoxaban, rivaroxaban, warfarin, ticagrelor, clopidogrel)
• Hormonal contraceptives (effectiveness may be reduced)
• Cholesterol medications (atorvastatin, pitavastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin)
• Immune system medications (cyclosporin, everolimus, tacrolimus, sirolimus)
• Corticosteroids (betamethasone, budesonide, fluticasone, mometasone, prednisone, triamcinolone)
• Antifungal medications (clotrimazole, fluconazole, isavuconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole)
• Pain medications (fentanyl, oxycodone, tramadol)
• Seizure medications (clonazepam, carbamazepine)
• Depression/anxiety medications (amitriptyline, desipramine, imipramine, nortriptyline, trazodone, paroxetine, sertraline)
• Cancer medications (dasatinib, everolimus, irinotecan, nilotinib, vinblastine, vincristine)
• Erectile dysfunction medications (avanafil, sildenafil, vardenafil, tadalafil)

Alcohol & Driving

Be cautious with activities requiring alertness as Prezista may cause dizziness.

Alcohol

No specific alcohol warnings mentioned in the source material.

Driving and Operating Machinery

Do not drive or operate machines if you feel dizzy after taking Prezista. Be careful before driving or using machines until you know how Prezista affects you.

Storage

Store Prezista below 30°C in a cool, dry place away from moisture, heat, and sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on windowsills. Keep out of reach of children. The bottle comes with a child-resistant cap – push down while turning counter-clockwise to open.

Overdose Information

If you think you have taken too much Prezista, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Contact the Poisons Information Centre (Australia: 13 11 26, New Zealand: 0800 POISON or 0800 764 766), your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department, even if you have no symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions