Darunavir (DRV) is an antiretroviral medicine, used to treat HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). This drug is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat HIV in adults and children over three years of age.
Darunavir acts as a protease inhibitor (an HIV enzyme) reducing its concentration in the blood. Its presentation comes in the form of coated tablets and oral suspension; this drug should always be administered orally, and in conjunction with another drug called ritonavir; it should be given 30 minutes after finishing a meal.
Its characteristics include preventing dimerization and the catalytic activity of the HIV-1 protease. Studies have shown that these viruses are resistant to most protease inhibitors and are sensitive to darunavir.
In some cases, the intake of this drug can bring side effects that in most are usually manageable, however, it is possible that in some occasions they become serious. In the latter case, disorders in the liver could occur, myocardial infarctions, serious skin reactions, among others.
Manageable side effects include: diarrhea, nausea and / or vomiting, abdominal pain, headaches. It is important for the patient to notify their doctor if they have any of these effects.
It is not recommended to combine this medicine with other inducers of CYP3A activity, since they increase the elimination of darunavir and ritonavir, which would imply a decrease in the plasma concentrations of darunavir and ritonavir.
