Danger: possibly fatal interactions between ritonavir and "ecstasy," some other psychoactive drugs. Clearinghouse, AIDS Newsletter Database, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5714. A fee will apply.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

AIDS Treat News. 1997 Feb 21;(No 265):5. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/97702529
Mirken B

Abstract: Following the death of a British AIDS patient who was taking the protease inhibitor ritonavir when he died of an overdose of MDMA, or ecstasy, ritonavir producer Abbott Laboratories has acknowledged potentially dangerous interactions between the two drugs. The coroner said that Phillip Kay died of an MDMA overdose, with a blood level nearly 10 times that at which serious toxic effects would be expected. Kay's partner, Jim Lumb, suspected a drug interaction was the cause because he was sure that Kay would not have taken such an excessive dose. Abbott's Dr. P. Kon wrote to Lumb that "Abbott has not conducted, and does not plan on conducting any drug-drug interaction studies between ritonavir and any illegal substances, including ecstasy." However, he noted that the lab's researchers had studied the theoretical interactions between the two drugs. They found that using the two drugs together could result in a 2 to 3 fold increase in MDMA levels and, that, in 3 percent to 10 percent of the population, MDMA levels could increase to as high as 5 to 10 fold. Abbott refused to issue a warning, as Lumb had requested, but the company has made a fact sheet available to British doctors who request the information.

Keywords: 3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine/*ADVERSE EFFECTS/*METABOLISM Amphetamine/METABOLISM Cocaine/METABOLISM Diacetylmorphine/METABOLISM *Drug Interactions Fatal Outcome HIV Protease Inhibitors/*METABOLISM Hallucinogens/*ADVERSE EFFECTS/*METABOLISM Human Male Methadone/METABOLISM Ritonavir/*METABOLISM Street Drugs NEWSLETTER ARTICLE
970830
M9781222

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