BRAND NAME(s)— Edurant
CHEMICAL FORMULA— C22-H18-N6
MOLECULAR WEIGHT— 366
DRUG CLASS— Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs)
ANATOMICAL THERAPEUTIC CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION (ATC)— J05AG05
GENERIC NAME— Rilpivirine, R 278474, TMC-278, UNII-FI96A8X663, Rilpivirine Hydrochloride, TMC278 hydrochloride, UNII-212WAX8KDD [Trusted Source 1]
FOREIGN NAME(s)— Rilpivirinum (Latin), Rilpivirine (French), Rilpivirina (Spanish), Rilpivirin (German) [Trusted Source 1]
What Is Rilpivirine?
Rilpivirine is a medication used to treat HIV infection. It belongs to a group of drugs called non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). Rilpivirine is not a fully cure of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is taken by mouth.
Rilpivirine was approved for use in the United States in May 2011 under the brand name Edurant. [Trusted Source 2]
Interactions:
Some products may interact with this drug; including [Trusted Source 3] [Trusted Source 4] —
- St. John’s wort
- Orlistat
- Saquinavir
- Dexamethasone
- Macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin
- Rifamycins such as rifampin, rifapentine
- Other HIV medication or NNRTIs such as efavirenz, delavirdine or nevirapine
- A certain combination of HIV medication such as elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine or tenofovir
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as lansoprazole, omeprazole, rabeprazole, pantoprazole or esomeprazole
- Medication to treat seizures such as oxcarbazepine, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone
- Medications to treat chronic hepatitis C such as ombitasvir, ritonavir, paritaprevir or dasabuvir
Precautions:
Before taking Rilpivirine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to it or if you have a history of any other allergy. [Trusted Source 3] [Trusted Source 4]
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or health care provider about your medical history, especially of —
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease such as hepatitis B and C
- Mood disorders such as depression
- Low levels of potassium or magnesium in the blood
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant before using this medication. [Trusted Source 3] [Trusted Source 4]
It is not clear whether the medication passes into breast milk. Ask your doctor if you are breast—feeding.
How Should I Take Rilpivirine?
Rilpivirine (Edurant) comes in 25 mg tablets. Take Rilpivirine with a meal. Always take this medicine in combination with other HIV medicines. [Trusted Source 5]
It is advisable to take this drug under the guidance of your doctor.
What Are The Side Effects Of Rilpivirine?
Call your doctor or health care provider if any of these side effects bother you or do not go away [Trusted Source 3] [Trusted Source 4] —
- Headaches
- Trouble sleeping
- Feeling sleepy
- Dizziness
- Stomach pain
- Upset stomach or throwing up
Get medical help right away if you have any serious symptoms, including [Trusted Source 3] [Trusted Source 4] —
- Unexpected weight loss
- Severe tiredness
- Joint pain
- Vision changes
- Muscle aches or weakness that doesn’t go away
- Numbness or tingling of the feet, arms, hands or legs
- Headaches that are severe or don’t go away
- Signs of infection such as fever, trouble breathing, chills, swollen lymph nodes or cough
- signs of an overactive thyroid such as nervousness, heat intolerance, irritability, irregular heartbeat, bulging eyes or unusual growth in the neck
- Signs of liver disease such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, yellowing eyes or dark urine
What Happens If I Missed A Dose?
Take Rilpivirine as soon as you can remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost the time for next dose. Do not take two doses at the same time.
What Happens If I Take An Overdose Of Rilpivirine?
Seek emergency medical help or call the Poison Help line at 1—800—222—1222.
What Should I Avoid While Using Rilpivirine?
Rilpivirine medication doesn’t prevent you from passing HIV to other individuals.
To reduce the risk of spreading human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to others, do all of the following —
- Continue to take all HIV medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor
- Always use an effective barrier method such as latex or polyurethane condoms or dental dams during all sexual activity
- Do not share personal items such as syringes, needles, razors and toothbrushes that may have contacted blood or other body fluids
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