Sustiva drug interactions.

In January, new precautions were added to the labeling for the "non-nuke" Sustiva concerning potential drug interactions. Patients taking Sustiva should not take Hismanal (astemizole), Vascor (bepridil), Propulsid (cisapride), Versed (midazolam), Orap (pimozide), Halcion (triazolam), or ergot derivatives (for example, Wigraine and Cafergot). Patients could experience serious and life-threatening side effects if Sustiva is taken with one or more of these drugs.

In addition, if combined with Sustiva, the following drugs may require a change in the dose of either Sustiva or the other medicine: Ritadin (ritampin); Sporanox (itraconazole); Nizoral (ketoconazole); calcium-channel blockers (for example, Cardizem, Tiazac, and others); and the cholesterol-lowering medications Lipitor (atorvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), and Zocor (simvastatin). Sustiva should not be taken with standard doses of Vfend (voriconazole). However, Sustiva and Vfend can be taken together if dose adjustments are made for both drugs.