Trizivir and Alcohol/Food Interactions

Consumption of ethanol during treatment with abacavir results in a decrease in elimination of abacavir due to the inhibition of alcohol dehydrogenase. Coadministration of alcohol 0.7 g/kg (equivalent to 5 drinks) and abacavir resulted in a 41% increase in the area under the time concentration curve and a 26% increase in elimination half life. The clinical significance of this interaction is unknown.

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Food may have variable effects on the oral bioavailability of zidovudine. Fatty foods have been reported to decrease the rate and extent of zidovudine absorption following oral administration. In a study of 13 AIDS patients, mean peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of zidovudine were 2.8 and 1.4 times higher, respectively, in fasting patients than in those administered the medication with breakfast. In addition, variations in plasma zidovudine concentrations were increased when administered in the fed state. In another study of eight patients, the time to reach peak concentration (Tmax) was increased from 0.68 to 1.95 hours, and Cmax was reduced by 50% when zidovudine was administered with a liquid high-fat meal relative to fasting. Protein meals can also delay the absorption and reduce the Cmax of zidovudine, although the extent of absorption is not significantly affected. The clinical significance of these alterations, if any, is unknown. The product labeling states that zidovudine may be taken with or without food.

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NRTIs - pancreatitis

The nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, didanosine, stavudine, and lamivudine, may cause pancreatitis. The incidence is generally low but is up to 7% with didanosine, and up to 18% in pediatric patients given lamivudine. Patients with a history of or known risk factors for pancreatitis (such as alcohol abuse or hypertriglyceridemia) should be monitored closely during therapy with these agents. Therapy should be discontinued at the first signs/symptoms suggestive of pancreatitis (e.g., nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, hyperamylasemia with dysglycemia, rising triglycerides, decreasing serum calcium), and preferably permanently discontinued if clinical pancreatitis develops.

abacavir - cardiovascular disease

Some clinical trials have reported increased risk of myocardial infarction in patients treated with abacavir. Although some of the findings are inconclusive, as a precaution, the underlying risk of coronary heart disease should be assessed before therapy, and action should be taken to minimize all modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, etc.

abacavir - cardiovascular disease

Some clinical trials have reported increased risk of myocardial infarction in patients treated with abacavir. Although some of the findings are inconclusive, as a precaution, the underlying risk of coronary heart disease should be assessed before therapy, and action should be taken to minimize all modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, etc.