Drug Interactions
The effects of some drugs can change if you take other drugs or herbal products at the same time. This can increase your risk for serious side effects or may cause your medications not to work correctly. These drug interactions are possible, but do not always occur. Your doctor or pharmacist can often prevent or manage interactions by changing how you use your medications or by close monitoring. To help your doctor and pharmacist give you the best care, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products) before starting treatment with this product. While using this product, do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any other medicines you are using without your doctor's approval. Some products that may interact with this drug include: certain antiarrhythmics (such as propafenone), trazodone, certain benzodiazepines (midazolam, triazolam), ergot alkaloids (such as dihydroergotamine, ergonovine, ergotamine, methylergonovine), garlic supplements, ranolazine, rifampin, certain "statin" cholesterol drugs (simvastatin, lovastatin), St. John's wort. Many drugs besides saquinavir may affect the heart rhythm (QT prolongation), including quinidine, pimozide, cisapride, amiodarone, flecainide, among others. Other medications can affect the removal of saquinavir from your body, which may affect how saquinavir works. Examples include rifabutin, certain anti-seizure drugs (carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin), certain drugs to lower acid in the stomach (proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole), other HIV drugs (such as indinavir, nelfinavir), among others. Saquinavir with ritonavir can slow down or speed up the removal of other medications from your body, which may affect how they work. Examples of affected drugs include digoxin, warfarin, calcium channel blockers (such as nifedipine, felodipine), certain drugs that weaken the immune system (cyclosporine, tacrolimus, sirolimus), drugs to treat erectile dysfunction/pulmonary hypertension (such as sildenafil, vardenafil, tadalafil), among others. This medication may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal birth control products (such as pills, patch, ring). This effect can result in pregnancy. However, to reduce the risk of spreading HIV to others, always use barrier protections during all sexual activity. (See also Notes section.) This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use. Share the list with your doctor and pharmacist to lessen your risk for serious medication problems.