Viramune (nevirapine)

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

The herbal remedy St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) should not be taken with this medicine as it may decrease the blood level of nevirapine. This may make the nevirapine less effective at fighting the virus and increases the risk of the virus becoming resistant to the medicine.

Rifampicin is not recommended in combination with this medicine for the same reason.

Nevirapine may decrease the blood level of the following medicines. If you are taking any of these in combination with nevirapine your doctor may need to increase their dose:

aripiprazole

atazanavir (should be avoided in combination with nevirapine)

efavirenz

indinavir

lopinavir

methadone

saquinavir

ketoconazole. (In addition ketoconazole may increase the blood level of nevirapine. The manufacturer recommends that these two medicines are not used together.)

Fluconazole may increase the blood level of nevirapine. People taking both medicines should be closely monitored for nevirapine side effects.

This medicine may decrease the blood level of hormonal contraceptives containing ethinylestradiol, making them less effective. Women taking this medicine should use a barrier method of contraception, eg condoms, to prevent pregnancy (as well as to avoid passing the virus on to their sexual partner).

This medicine may alter the effect of the anti-blood-clotting medicine warfarin. If you are taking warfarin your blood clotting time (INR) should be closely monitored while you are taking this medicine, and your warfarin dose may need adjusting.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain nevirapine as the active ingredient.

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