Using Pharmacokinetics to Optimize Antiretroviral Drug-Drug Interactions in the Treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 30; no. Supplement-2; pp. S123 - S129
• Main Author: Gerber, J G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The University of Chicago Press 01-06-2000; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: AIDS; Anti-HIV Agents - pharmacokinetics; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretrovirals; Antivirals; Dosage; Drug Interactions; Drug Therapy, Combination; Health and wellness; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1 - physiology; Humans; Multimedia materials; Pharmacokinetics; Phosphorylation; Protease inhibitors; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors - pharmacokinetics; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/313857

Better understanding of the pharmacokinetics of antiretroviral drugs has resulted in the design of combination therapies for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This has improved the bioavailability and prolonged the plasma half-life of some of the drugs, resulting in enhanced antiviral activity. However, antiviral combination therapy can also result in adverse drug-drug interactions and diminished antiretroviral activity. In this review, we examine drug interactions involving combinations of protease inhibitors, combinations of protease inhibitors with nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and combinations of nucleoside analogues for the treatment of patients with HIV infection. We discuss examples and mechanisms of pharmacokinetic interactions that improve or decrease antiviral efficacy.