title: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation of raltegravir and experience from clinical trials in HIV-positive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Raltegravir was the first available integrase inhibitor for treating HIV-positive patients. This review aims to provide an overview of its role in the management of HIV-1 infection, highlighting its key pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review covers material searched and obtained through Medline and PubMed up to April 2015.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Raltegravir for its tolerability, efficacy, few drug-to-drug interactions and for the amount of available data in difficult subgroups of patients is a key drug in the antiretroviral armamentarium. For its weak genetic barrier to resistance and erratic pharmacokinetic profile, it should be administered twice daily and with fully active companion antiretrovirals.
authors.affiliation: University of Torino, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Sciences , C.so Svizzera 164 - 10149, Torino , Italy + 39 011 439 3884 ; + 39 011 439 3942 ; andrea.calcagno@unito.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calcagno
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Avolio
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonora
mesh_terms: D004347:Drug Interactions; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019428:HIV Integrase Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D000068898:Raltegravir Potassium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D019428:HIV Integrase Inhibitors; D000068898:Raltegravir Potassium
keywords: drug-to-drug interactions; pharmacodynamic; pharmacokinetic; raltegravir; resistance