Details

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Saquinavir 200mg soft gel capsules are grouped under antiviral drugs and subgrouped as protease inhibitors(PI).

Mainly it is used in combination with low-dose ritonavir to increase antiviral efficacy and decrease gastrointestinal adverse effects in HIV.

Mechanism Of action : protease inhibitor acts by binding to protease making it non functional. Here drug bound enzyme is unable to cleave the viral polyprotein into further functional components,leading to non infectious non functional viral progeny.

It is effective on both newly and chronically HIV infected cells.

In both indian and international markets it is available as FORTOVASE.

 

Uses

• In HIV infected patients FORTOVASE is given with ritonavir. Ritonavir decreases the gastrointestinal toxicity of the drug.

 

Dosage And Storage

• Initially it was formulated as a hard gel capsule and had poor bioavailability but now as soft gel capsules as FORTOVASE.
• Adults above 16 years of age: Saquinavir 1000 mg twice daily with ritonavir 100 mg twice daily.
• Do not self medicate, always consult doctor before the treatment
• should be taken within 2 hours after a meal for better absorption
• Must be taken along with ritonavir
• Dosage is adjusted by doctor according to the infection and response to the drug
• Do not miss the dose as it might lead to increase in infection again
• Saquinavir 200mg soft gel capsules is stored at room temperature and in a tight container

 

Side effects

• Gastrointestinal discomfort like nausea, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, dyspepsia.
• FORTOVASE should not be used in patients with congenital long QT syndrome and AV block
• Imbalance in cholesterol level hyperlipidemia
• hyperglycemia is raise in blood sugar
• Lipoatrophy
• fat deposition mainly central obesity
• dorsocervical fat enlargement (buffalo hump)
• peripheral and facial wasting
• breast enlargement
• cushingoid body appearance
• refractory hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia
• Simultaneous use of saquinavir and ritonavir may increase the risk of QT or PR prolongation
• Drug-induced hepatitis

 

Precautions

Do not use Saquinavir 200mg soft gel capsules

• While breastfeeding
• When having history of Hepatitis infection
• Bleeding disorder
• Cardiovascular disease
• Severe dyslipidemia
• Any allergy

Always inform the doctor about pre-existing medical conditions,planning for pregnancy and pregnancy.

 

Drug interaction

Saquinavir 200mg soft gel capsules can interact with these drugs and cause different toxicities

• Omeprazole
• Digoxin
• With delavirdine or rifampin it causes hepatic toxicity
• Use of darunavir or tipranavir is contraindicated

 

Review

Being protease inhibitor Saquinavir is used for the treatment of the both new and chronic HIV infection but always prescribed as in combination with ritonavir for better absorption and less side effects.