(ral TEG ra vir)
HIV infection:
U.S. labeling: Treatment of HIV-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral agents in patients 4 weeks and older and weighing at least 3 kg
Canadian labeling: Treatment of HIV-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral agents in patients ≥2 years of age
There are no contraindications listed in the manufacturers labeling.
Canadian labeling: Hypersensitivity to raltegravir or any other component of the formulation
HIV treatment: Oral: Film-coated tablet: 400 mg twice daily. Raltegravir is a component of a recommended initial regimen with tenofovir plus emtricitabine (or lamivudine) in ART-naive patients (HHS [adult] 2015).
Occupational HIV postexposure, prophylaxis (off-label use): Oral: Film-coated tablet: 400 mg twice daily for 4 weeks with concomitant emtricitabine/tenofovir. Recommended as preferred therapy (Kuhar, 2013).
Dosage adjustment for rifampin coadministration: 800 mg twice daily
Refer to adult dosing.
HIV treatment: Oral:
Note: Raltegravir film-coated tablets and chewable tablets or oral suspension are not bioequivalent and are not substitutable on a mg/mg basis
U.S. labeling:
Infants ≥4 weeks and Children ( ≥3 to <25 kg): Weight-based dosing based on ~6 mg/kg/dose twice daily (maximum dose: 600 mg/day [chewable tablet]; 200 mg/day [oral suspension]).
3 to <4 kg: 20 mg twice daily (oral suspension)
4 to <6 kg: 30 mg twice daily (oral suspension)
6 to <8 kg: 40 mg twice daily (oral suspension)
8 to <11 kg: 60 mg twice daily (oral suspension)
11 to <14 kg: 80 mg twice daily (oral suspension) or 75 mg twice daily (chewable tablet) (see Note")
14 to <20 kg: 100 mg twice daily (oral suspension or chewable tablet) (see Note")
20 to <25 kg: 150 mg twice daily (chewable tablet)
Note: Infants and Children ≥4 weeks who are between 11 and <20 kg may use either the chewable tablet or the oral suspension. Patients can remain on the oral suspension as long as their weight is <20 kg.
Children and Adolescents ≥25 kg: Note: If unable to swallow a tablet, chewable tablets may be used. Raltegravir is a component of a recommended initial regimen with tenofovir plus emtricitabine (or lamivudine) in adolescent ART-naive patients (HHS [adult] 2015).
Film-coated tablet: Refer to adult dosing.
Chewable tablet: Weight-based dosing based on ~6 mg/kg/dose twice daily (maximum dose: 600 mg/day).
25 to <28 kg: 150 mg twice daily (see Note")
28 to <40 kg: 200 mg twice daily (see Note")
≥40 kg: 300 mg twice daily (see Note")
Note: May use either weight-based dosing (chewable tablet) or adult dosing (film-coated tablet).
Canadian labeling: Chewable tablet: Children 2 to <12 years (maximum dose: 600 mg/day):
7 to <10 kg: 50 mg twice daily
10 to <14 kg: 75 mg twice daily
14 to <20 kg: 100 mg twice daily
20 to <28 kg: 150 mg twice daily
28 to <40 kg: 200 mg twice daily
≥40 kg: 300 mg twice daily
Dosage adjustment for rifampin coadministration: There are no data to guide dose adjustment in patients <18 years of age.
Mild, moderate, and severe impairment: No dosage adjustment necessary.
End-stage renal disease (ESRD) on intermittent hemodialysis (IHD): Dose after dialysis on dialysis days.
Mild-to-moderate impairment: No dosage adjustment necessary.
Severe impairment: There are no dosage adjustments provided in manufacturer 's labeling (has not been studied).
May be administered without regard to meals.
Chewable tablets: May be chewed or swallowed whole; the 100 mg chewable tablet may be divided into equal halves.
Film-coated tablets: Must be swallowed whole.
Oral suspension: Open foil packet of drug (100 mg). Measure 5 mL water in provided mixing cup. Pour packet contents into 5 mL water, close lid and swirl for 30-60 seconds. Do not turn the mixing cup upside down. Once mixed, measure recommended suspension dose with an oral syringe. Administer within 30 minutes of mixing with water. Discard any remaining suspension in the trash.
Some products may contain phenylalanine.
Store at 20 ‚ °C to 25 ‚ °C (68 ‚ °F to 77 ‚ °F); excursions are permitted between 15 ‚ °C and 30 ‚ °C (59 ‚ °F and 86 ‚ °F).
Chewable tablets: Store in the original package; keep desiccant in the bottle to protect from moisture.
Oral suspension: Store in the original container; do not open foil packet until ready for reconstitution and use.
Excipient information presented when available (limited, particularly for generics); consult specific product labeling.
Packet, Oral:
Isentress: 100 mg (1 ea, 60 ea) [contains polyethylene glycol; banana flavor]
Tablet, Oral:
Isentress: 400 mg [contains polyethylene glycol]
Tablet Chewable, Oral:
Isentress: 25 mg [contains aspartame, saccharin sodium; orange banana flavor]
Isentress: 100 mg [scored; contains aspartame, saccharin sodium; orange banana flavor]
Aluminum Hydroxide: May decrease the serum concentration of Raltegravir. Management: Avoid the use of oral / enteral aluminum hydroxide with raltegravir. No dose separation schedule has been established that adequately reduces the magnitude of interaction. Avoid combination
Fibric Acid Derivatives: Raltegravir may enhance the myopathic (rhabdomyolysis) effect of Fibric Acid Derivatives. Monitor therapy
Fosamprenavir: May decrease the serum concentration of Raltegravir. Raltegravir may decrease the serum concentration of Fosamprenavir. Consider therapy modification
HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors: Raltegravir may enhance the myopathic (rhabdomyolysis) effect of HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors. Monitor therapy
Magnesium Salts: May decrease the serum concentration of Raltegravir. Management: Avoid the use of oral / enteral magnesium salts with raltegravir. No dose separation schedule has been established that adequately reduces the magnitude of interaction. Avoid combination
Proton Pump Inhibitors: May increase the serum concentration of Raltegravir. Monitor therapy
Rifabutin: May decrease the serum concentration of Raltegravir. Specifically, minimum serum concentrations (Cmin) may be reduced. Total raltegravir exposure (i.e., AUC) may be increased. Monitor therapy
RifAMPin: May decrease the serum concentration of Raltegravir. Management: Increase raltegravir dose to 800 mg twice daily (adult dose) when used concomitantly with rifampin. Consider therapy modification
Rifapentine: May increase the serum concentration of Raltegravir. Rifapentine may decrease the serum concentration of Raltegravir. Monitor therapy
Tipranavir: May decrease the serum concentration of Raltegravir. Monitor therapy
Zidovudine: Raltegravir may enhance the myopathic (rhabdomyolysis) effect of Zidovudine. Monitor therapy
Viral load, CD4 count, lipid profile
HIV occupational postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) (Kuhar, 2013): Documented HIV test (at baseline and 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 6 months after exposure); if confirmation that a fourth generation HIV p2 antigen-HIV antibody test is being used, monitor at baseline, 6 weeks and 4 months after exposure. CBC, renal and hepatic function assessments at baseline and 2 weeks after exposure (minimum recommendations, others dictated by clinical assessment)
>10%:
Hepatic: Increased serum ALT (1% to 11%; incidence higher with hepatitis B and/or C coinfection)
2% to 10%:
Central nervous system: Insomnia (4%), headache (2% to 4%), dizziness (2%), fatigue (2%)
Endocrine & metabolic: Increased serum glucose (126 to 250 mg/dL: 7% to 10%; 251 to 500 mg/dL: 2% to 3%)
Gastrointestinal: Increased serum lipase (2% to 5%), increased serum amylase (2% to 4%), nausea (3%)
Hematologic: Abnormal absolute neutrophil count (2% to 3%), thrombocytopenia (1% to 3%)
Hepatic: Increased serum AST (1% to 9%; incidence higher with hepatitis B and/or C coinfection), hyperbilirubinemia (<1% to 6%), increased serum alkaline phosphatase (<1% to 2%)
Neuromuscular & skeletal: Increased creatine phosphokinase (10 to 19.9 x ULN: 4%; ≥20 x ULN: 3%)
<2% (Limited to important or life-threatening): Anemia, cerebellar ataxia, depression (particularly in subjects with a pre-existing history of psychiatric illness), drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS; Perry, 2013), gastritis, hepatic failure, hepatitis, hypersensitivity, myopathy, nephrolithiasis, psychomotor agitation (children; grade 3), renal failure, rhabdomyolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, suicidal ideation, toxic epidermal necrolysis
No clinically important pharmacokinetic differences were observed between subjects with severe renal impairment and healthy subjects. Because the extent to which raltegravir is dialyzable is unknown, avoid dosing before dialysis.
A study of the pharmacokinetics of raltegravir was performed in healthy adult men and women. Additionally, the effect of gender was evaluated in a composite analysis of pharmacokinetic data from 103 healthy subjects and 28 HIV-1 infected subjects receiving raltegravir monotherapy with fasted administration. No dosage adjustment is necessary.
Concerns related to adverse effects:
- Immune reconstitution syndrome: Patients may develop immune reconstitution syndrome resulting in the occurrence of an inflammatory response to an indolent or residual opportunistic infection during initial HIV treatment or activation of autoimmune disorders (eg, Graves ' disease, polymyositis, Guillain-Barre syndrome) later in therapy; further evaluation and treatment may be required.
- Myopathy: Grade 2 to 4 creatine kinase (CK) increases have been observed and myopathy and rhabdomyolysis have been reported; use caution in patients with a history of rhabdomyolysis, myopathy, or increased serum creatine kinase or who have risk factors for CK elevations and/or skeletal muscle abnormalities, including taking other drugs known to cause myopathy or rhabdomyolysis.
- Skin and hypersensitivity reactions: Severe, life-threatening or fatal cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis have been reported. Hypersensitivity reactions (rash [may occur with fever, fatigue, malaise, conjunctivitis, or other constitutional symptoms], organ dysfunction and/or hepatic failure) have also been reported. Discontinue immediately if a severe skin reaction or hypersensitivity symptoms develop. Monitor liver transaminases and start supportive therapy.
Concurrent drug therapy issues:
- Drug-drug interactions: Potentially significant interactions may exist, requiring dose or frequency adjustment, additional monitoring, and/or selection of alternative therapy. Consult drug interactions database for more detailed information.
Dosage form specific issues:
- Chewable tablet: Contains phenylalanine.
- Tablets and oral suspension: Raltegravir film-coated tablets and chewable tablets or oral suspension are not bioequivalent and are not substitutable on a mg/mg basis.
Other warnings/precautions:
- Appropriate use: Raltegravir plus darunavir/ritonavir should not be used in adolescent and adult HIV-1 patients with a pre-ART CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 and/or HIV RNA >100,000 copies/mL (HHS [adult] 2015).
C
Adverse events were observed in some animal reproduction studies; data collected by the antiretroviral pregnancy registry is insufficient to evaluate human teratogenic risk. Raltegravir has high transfer across the human placenta and can be detected in neonatal serum after delivery. The HHS Perinatal HIV Guidelines consider raltegravir to be a preferred integrase inhibitor for use in antiretroviral-na ƒ ¯ve pregnant patients and is useful when drug interactions with protease inhibitors are a concern. Because of its ability to rapidly suppress viral load, some experts have suggested using raltegravir in late pregnancy in women who have high viral loads; however, this use is not routinely recommended at this time. Dose adjustments are not required in pregnant women. Reversible elevation of liver enzymes occurred in a patient who initiated raltegravir late in pregnancy; monitor liver enzymes if used during pregnancy.
Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) therapy is recommended for all HIV-infected pregnant women. The goal of therapy is to keep the viral load below the limit of detection and prevent perinatal transmission. Therapy must be individualized. In general, women who become pregnant on a stable cART regimen may continue that regimen if viral suppression is effective, contraindications for use in pregnancy are not present, and the regimen is well tolerated. For HIV-infected couples planning a pregnancy, maximum viral suppression with cART is recommended prior to conception for the HIV-infected partner(s). When HIV is diagnosed during pregnancy in a woman who has never received antiretroviral therapy, cART should be considered as soon as possible after diagnosis to reduce the risk of perinatal transmission. If antiretroviral drug-resistance testing is done, treatment may be started prior to obtaining results, then adjusted accordingly. Monitoring during pregnancy is more frequent than in non-pregnant adults. If cART must be interrupted for <24 hours, stop then restart all medications simultaneously in order to decrease the chance of developing resistance. Long-term follow-up is recommended for all infants exposed to antiretroviral medications; children who develop significant organ system abnormalities (particularly of the CNS or heart) should be evaluated for potential mitochondrial dysfunction.
HIV-infected women not planning a pregnancy may use any available type of contraception, considering possible drug interactions and contraindications of the specific method. In addition, consistent use of condoms is also recommended (even during pregnancy) to prevent transmission of HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.
Health care providers are encouraged to enroll pregnant women exposed to antiretroviral medications as early in pregnancy as possible in the Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry (1-800-258-4263 or www.APRegistry.com). Health care providers caring for HIV-infected women and their infants may contact the National Perinatal HIV Hotline (888-448-8765) for clinical consultation (HHS [perinatal], 2016).
Incorporation of viral DNA into the host cell 's genome is required to produce a self-replicating provirus and propagation of infectious virion particles. The viral cDNA strand produced by reverse transcriptase is subsequently processed and inserted into the human genome by the enzyme HIV-1 integrase (encoded by the pol gene of HIV). Raltegravir inhibits the catalytic activity of integrase, thus preventing integration of the proviral gene into human DNA.
Film-coated tablet: AUC increased twofold with high-fat meal; Chewable tablet: AUC decreased by ~6% with high-fat meal (not clinically significant); Oral suspension: The effect of food was not studied.
Primarily hepatic glucuronidation mediated by UGT1A1
Feces (~51%, as unchanged drug); urine (~32%; 9% as unchanged drug)
Film-coated tablet: ~3 hours
~9 hours
~83%
- Discuss specific use of drug and side effects with patient as it relates to treatment. (HCAHPS: During this hospital stay, were you given any medicine that you had not taken before? Before giving you any new medicine, how often did hospital staff tell you what the medicine was for? How often did hospital staff describe possible side effects in a way you could understand?)
- Patient may experience insomnia, headache, dizziness, or nausea. Have patient report immediately to prescriber signs of infection, signs of liver problems (dark urine, feeling tired, lack of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, light-colored stools, vomiting, or yellow skin or eyes), signs of kidney problems (urinary retention, blood in urine, change in amount of urine passed, or weight gain), signs of depression (suicidal ideation, anxiety, emotional instability, or illogical thinking), muscle pain, joint pain, severe loss of strength and energy, muscle weakness, bruising, bleeding, or signs of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin [with or without fever]; red or irritated eyes; or sores in mouth, throat, nose, or eyes) (HCAHPS).
- Educate patient about signs of a significant reaction (eg, wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat). Note: This is not a comprehensive list of all side effects. Patient should consult prescriber for additional questions.
Intended Use and Disclaimer: Should not be printed and given to patients. This information is intended to serve as a concise initial reference for health care professionals to use when discussing medications with a patient. You must ultimately rely on your own discretion, experience, and judgment in diagnosing, treating, and advising patients.