Ritonavir Side Effects and Warnings

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• Do not run out of this medicine.

• If you have diabetes, talk with healthcare provider. This medicine can increase blood sugar.

• If you have heart disease, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have hemophilia, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have high cholesterol or are taking a cholesterol-lowering agent, talk with healthcare provider.

• If you have liver disease, talk with healthcare provider.

• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.

• Do not take St John's wort with this medicine. It may make this medicine less effective.

• To protect against sexually-transmitted diseases, use a latex condom.

• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.

• Use birth control that you can trust to prevent pregnancy in HIV disease.

• Do not use a hormone-related form of birth control.

• Breast-feeding is not recommended in HIV disease in the U.S.

What are some possible side effects of this medicine?

• High cholesterol level.

• Feeling lightheaded, sleepy, having blurred vision, or a change in thinking clearly. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that require you to be alert or have clear vision until you see how this medicine affects you.

• Feeling dizzy. Rise slowly over several minutes from sitting or lying position. Be careful climbing.

• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.

• Diarrhea.

• Not hungry.

• Abnormal taste. This is usually reversible.

• Change in body fat distribution.

• Headache.

• Belly pain.

• Feeling tired or weak.

• Irritated pancreas can rarely occur.

• Liver damage can rarely occur.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Fast heartbeat.

• Severe dizziness or passing out.

• Severe nausea or vomiting.

• Severe belly pain.

• Severe diarrhea.

• Increased trips to the bathroom, increased thirst, or weight loss.

• Dark urine or yellow skin or eyes.

• Numbness or tingling of hands or feet.

• Any rash.

• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.