Raltegravir Oral Tablet

Isentress is used along with other HIV drugs to treat HIV infection.

It has a smaller risk of side effects than many drugs used to treat HIV. Common side effects include dizziness, tiredness, and others.

Isentress is an oral tablet taken twice a day. It’s also available as a chewable tablet that may be used for kids’ dosing.

This medication is effective if you take it every day. If you don’t take it every day, or if you skip a dose, your HIV may become worse, or the drug may not work as well for you in the future.

Your insurance company may need to authorize your prescription.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• May cause drug hypersensitivity reactions See Details

• May cause immune reconstitution syndrome See Details

• Contains phenylalanine See Details

• May cause rhabdomyolysis See Details

What is raltegravir?

This drug is a prescription drug. It is available in these forms: oral tablet, chewable oral tablet, and oral powder (suspension).

Why it's used

This drug is used to treat HIV in adults and children ages 2 and older.

How it works

This drug belongs to a class of drugs called integrase inhibitors.

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Most Common Side Effects

Isentress has a smaller risk of side effects than many drugs used to treat HIV. 

Common side effects that you could experience include:

• difficulty sleeping

• dizziness

• headache

• nausea

• tiredness

Serious Side Effects

If you experience any of these serious side effects, call your doctor right away. If your symptoms are potentially life-threatening, or if you think you’re experiencing a medical emergency, call 9-1-1.

• feeling like you have a viral infection immediately after taking the medication. Signs include fatigue and weakness.

• a severe allergic reaction, including swelling in your mouth or face, difficulty breathing, and extreme tiredness.

• blisters or sores in your mouth, peeling skin, or redness and swelling in your eyes

• skin changes, as well as yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, darkened urine, nausea, and other symptoms of liver problems. These indicate a decrease in your liver’s function. The risk is higher in people who also have hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

• depression or thoughts of suicide

• kidney failure

• anemia

• symptoms of rhabdomyolysis, including muscle weakness or tenderness, persistent muscle pain, diarrhea, fever, or dark-colored urine

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.

Although Isentress doesn’t interact with as many drugs as some of the other HIV medications, it can interact with other medications, herbs, or vitamins you might be taking. That’s why your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. If you’re curious about how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Note: You can reduce your chances of drug interactions by having all of your prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy. That way, a pharmacist can check for possible drug interactions.

Medications That Might Interact with This Drug

Antacids

Don’t take antacids that contain magnesium hydroxide or aluminum hydroxide while taking Isentress. These over-the-counter drugs prevent the absorption of Isentress. If you need to take an antacid, ask your doctor or pharmacist for an alternative.

Drugs to Reduce Cholesterol and Triglycerides

This group includes statins and fibric acid. Combining these drugs with Isentress increases your risk for muscle aches and rhabdomyolysis, a serious but rare side effect of Isentress:

• fenofibrate (Tricor)
• gemfibrozil (Lopid)
• statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, such as Lipitor, Zocor, and Mevacor)
• zidovudine (Retrovir)

Healthcare providers may manage people on both drugs or discontinue the statin or fibric acid.

Other Drugs

Isentress also interacts with:

• atazanavir (another HIV drug)
• efavirenz (an HIV drug)
• fosamprenavir (an HIV drug)
• phenytoin
• phenobarbital
• rifampin, which may make the level of Isentress drop in your body
• Tipranavir (an HIV drug)

Because some of these interactions may be minor, your healthcare provider may be able to adjust the dose to control the interactions.

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking. Drug warnings

People with liver disease

If you have severe liver disease, your healthcare provider may not prescribe this drug. There have been no studies done on how the drug should be dosed for people with severe liver disease.

People with kidney disease

If you have kidney disease, your dose will not change. However, your doctor will adjust your dose if you’re on dialysis.

Pregnant women

This drug is a category C pregnancy drug. That means two things:

1. Research in animals has shown adverse effects to the fetus when the mother takes the drug.
2. There haven’t been enough studies done in humans.

Despite risks, pregnant women may still use this drug if the benefits outweigh the potential for adverse effects. Talk to your doctor about this drug if you’re pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Women who are breast-feeding

This drug enters breast milk and can be passed to the baby while breastfeeding. It’s not recommended to breastfeed while taking this drug because the child could have serious side effects.

For children

Keep all drugs, especially chewable tablets and suspension packets, away from children. These forms of the drug are flavored, and children might be curious about them and think they’re candy. This is a common source of drug overdoses in children.

Allergies

This drug may cause a serious skin rash or allergic reaction.

All possible dosages and forms may not be included here. Your dose, form, and how often you take it will depend on:

• your age
• the condition being treated
• how severe your condition is
• other medical conditions you have
• how you react to the first dose

The oral tablet dosing information below applies to adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. Children can take either the chewable tablet form of the drug or the oral suspension. These are dosed according to age and body weight. Kids who weigh more than 44 pounds (20 kg) should only take the chewable tablets. Talk to your doctor about dosing for children who take the chewable tablet or oral suspension form.

What are you taking this medication for?

HIV Form: Oral tablet Strengths: 400 mg Form: Chewable oral tablet Strengths: 100 mg Form: Oral powder (suspension) Strengths: 100 mg packet for oral powder Adult dosage (ages 18-64 years)

Take one 400 mg tablet by mouth twice a day.

Child dosage (≥ 55 pounds)

For children who weigh at least 55 pounds, take one 400 mg tablet by mouth twice a day.

Child dosage (< 55 pounds)

In children who weigh below 55 pounds, your doctor will provide a dose based on the child’s specific weight.

Senior dosage (ages 65 years and older)

There are no specific recommendations for senior dosing. Older adults may process drugs more slowly. A normal adult dose may cause levels of the drug to be higher than normal. If you’re a senior, you may need a lower dose or you may need a different schedule.

Special considerations

Children and others who can't take the oral tablet: This drug is available in chewable 100 mg tablets that can be broken in half.

It’s also available in 100 mg packets to make an oral suspension (liquid mix). To create the suspension, open the foil packet and add it to 5 mL of water in the mixing cup. Close the cup and swirl it for 30 – 60 seconds. Don’t turn the cup upside down. After mixing, give the dose with an oral syringe within 30 minutes of mixing. Throw away any unused drug.

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always to speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. Important considerations for taking this drug

You can take this drug with or without food

Do not crush the film-coated tablet. It must be swallowed whole

Store the film-coated tablets and chewable tablets at room temperature: 68 – 77°F

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Prescription is refillable

Clinical monitoring

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Not every pharmacy stocks this drug, so call ahead

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Insurance

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Are there any alternatives?