Drug interactions

Delavirdine (Rescriptor) is an inhibitor of the cytochrome P450 CYP3A4 system, a metabolic pathway in the liver, which eliminates drugs from the body. Combining delavirdine with protease inhibitors such as indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept) or saquinavir (Invirase) may result in elevated protease inhibitor concentrations in the blood.^[1]

Patients taking delavirdine should not take the following drugs, due to dangerous changes in drug levels:

• Astemizole.
• Alprazolam (Xanax).
• Amiodarone (Cordarone X).
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol / Carbagen / Tegretol Retard / Teril Retard / Timonil Retard).
• Cisapride.
• Ergotamine tartrate (Cafergot / Migril).
• Hypericin (St John’s wort).
• Lovastatin.
• Midazolam (Hypnovel).
• Phenobarbital.
• Phenytoin (Epanutin).
• Pimozide (Orap).
• Quinidine (Kinidin Dureles).
• Rifabutin (Mycobutin).^[2]
• Rifampicin (Rifadin / Rimactane).
• Simvastatin (Zocor).
• Terfenadine.
• Triazolam.