title: Drug-drug interactions: antiretroviral drugs and recreational drugs.
abstract: With the advances in antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection are living longer, however, some patients encounter co- morbidities which sometimes require treatment. Therefore, during the treatment with ARV drugs these patients could take several recreational drugs (e.g. amphetamines, hallucinogenes, opiates, or alcohol) with a possible development of drug-drug interactions (DDIs). In particular, Nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs/NtRTIs) are mainly excreted through the kidney and are not substrates of the cytochrome P450 or P-glycoprotein, therefore the DDIs during this treatment are minimal. In contrast, the other ARV drugs (i.e. non-nucleoside reversetranscriptase inhibitors, Protease inhibitors, Integrase inhibitors, chemokine receptor 5 antagonists and HIV-fusion inhibitors) are an important class of antiretroviral medications that are frequent components of HAART regimens but show several DDIs related to interaction with the cytochrome P450 or P-glycoprotein. In this paper we will review data concerning the possibility of DDI in HIV patients treated with ARV and taking recreational drugs.
authors.forename: Orietta
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Staltari
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leporini
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caroleo
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siniscalchi
authors.forename: Giovambattista
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Sarro
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Annunziata Hospital, Via F. Migliori, 1 - 87100 Cosenza, Italy. anto.siniscalchi@libero.it.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gallelli
mesh_terms: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004347:Drug Interactions; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D013287:Illicit Drugs