Edurant (rilpivirine) is an antiviral medication that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body.
Edurant is used to treat HIV, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Edurant is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.
Do not take rilpivirine as your only HIV medication. Rilpivirine must be used in combination with other HIV medicines that your doctor has prescribed.
Edurant may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
Important information
You should not use Edurant if you are allergic to rilpivirine.
Some medicines can interact with Edurant and should not be used at the same time. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.
Before you take Edurant, tell your doctor if you have liver disease (including hepatitis B or C), kidney disease, a history of depression or mental illness, or if you have ever taken any HIV medication in the past.
Do not take Edurant as your only HIV medication. Edurant must be used in combination with other HIV medicines that your doctor has prescribed.
Call your doctor at once if you have mood changes, anxiety, severe depression, feeling hopeless, or thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
Taking this medication will not prevent you from passing HIV to other people.
Before taking this medicine
You should not use Edurant if you are allergic to rilpivirine.
Some medicines can cause unwanted or dangerous effects when used with Edurant. Your doctor may need to change your treatment plan if you use any of the following drugs:
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carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin;
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rifabutin, rifampin, rifapentine;
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esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole;
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more than one dose of dexamethasone;
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St John"s wort; or
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delavirdine, efavirenz, etravirine, nevirapine.
Using any of these medicines while you are taking Edurant can cause serious medical problems or death.
To make sure Edurant is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
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liver disease (including hepatitis B or C);
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kidney disease;
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a history of depression or mental illness; or
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if you have ever taken any HIV medication in the past.
FDA pregnancy category B. Edurant is not expected to harm an unborn baby, but HIV can be passed to your baby if you are not properly treated during pregnancy. Take all of your HIV medicines as directed to control your infection.
See also: Pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (in more detail)
If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to evaluate any effects of Edurant on the baby.
Women with HIV or AIDS should not breast feed a baby. Even if your baby is born without HIV, the virus may be passed to the baby in your breast milk.
How should I take Edurant?
Take Edurant exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Edurant is usually taken once per day with a meal. Always take the medicine with food.
Use this medicine regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.
While using Edurant, you may need frequent blood tests at your doctor"s office.
HIV/AIDS is usually treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor"s advice. Every person with HIV or AIDS should remain under the care of a doctor.
Store Edurant at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
What happens if I miss a dose?
If you are less than 12 hours late in taking your medicine, take the missed dose with food as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid?
If you also take an antacid, take it at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after taking Edurant. Do not take an antacid and Edurant at the same time.
If you also take didanosine (Videx), take it at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after taking Edurant.
If you also take a stomach acid reducer, take it at least 12 hours before or 4 hours after taking Edurant. This includes cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid), and ranitidine (Zantac). Do not take rilpivirine and this type of stomach medicine at the same time.
Taking this medication will not prevent you from passing HIV to other people. Do not have unprotected sex or share razors or toothbrushes. Talk with your doctor about safe ways to prevent HIV transmission during sex. Sharing drug or medicine needles is never safe, even for a healthy person.
Edurant side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Edurant: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
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mood changes, anxiety, severe depression, feeling hopeless, thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself;
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fever, chills, cough with yellow or green mucus;
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stabbing chest pain, wheezing, feeling short of breath;
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nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
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severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your shoulder or back, stomach bloating, vomiting, sweating, fever, chills.
Common Edurant side effects may include:
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sleep problems (insomnia), unusual dreams;
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mild nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea;
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headache, dizziness;
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mild skin rash;
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tired feeling; or
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changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist).
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
See also: Side effects (in more detail)
What other drugs will affect Edurant?
Many drugs can interact with Edurant. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Tell your doctor about all your medications and any you start or stop using during treatment with Edurant, especially:
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bosentan;
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conivaptan;
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imatinib;
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methadone;
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tacrolimus;
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arsenic trioxide, vandetanib;
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an antibiotic--azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, nafcillin, pentamidine, telithromycin;
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an antidepressant--amitriptyline, citalopram, clomipramine, desipramine, nefazodone;
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antifungal medication--itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole;
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anti-malaria medication--chloroquine, halofantrine, mefloquine;
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heart medication--amiodarone, dofetilide, disopyramide, dronedarone, flecainide, ibutilide, nicardipine, procainamide, propafenone, quinidine, sotalol;
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hepatitis C medications--boceprevir, telaprevir;
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HIV/AIDS medication--atazanavir, fosamprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir;
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medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting--dolasetron, droperidol, ondansetron;
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medicine to treat a psychiatric disorder--chlorpromazine, clozapine, haloperidol, mesoridazine, pimozide, thioridazine, ziprasidone;
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migraine headache medicine--sumatriptan, zolmitriptan; or
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seizure medication--fosphenytoin, primidone.
This list is not complete and there are many other medicines that can interact with Edurant, or make it less effective. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.
