Yale University

Interaction between buprenorphine and atazanavir or atazanavir/ritonavir.

TitleInteraction between buprenorphine and atazanavir or atazanavir/ritonavir.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2007
AuthorsMcCance-Katz, Elinore F., David E. Moody, Gene D. Morse, Qing Ma, Robin DiFrancesco, Gerald Friedland, Patricia Pade, and Petrie M. Rainey
JournalDrug and alcohol dependence
Volume91
Issue2-3
Pagination269-78
Date Published2007 Dec 1
ISSN0376-8716
KeywordsAdult, Analgesics, Opioid, Buprenorphine, Drug Interactions, Female, HIV Infections, HIV Protease Inhibitors, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Oligopeptides, Pyridines, Ritonavir, Substance-Related Disorders
AbstractOpioid addiction and HIV disease frequently co-occur. Adverse drug interactions have been reported between methadone and some HIV medications, but less is known about interactions between buprenorphine, an opioid partial agonist used to treat opioid dependence, and HIV therapeutics. This study examined drug interactions between buprenorphine and the protease inhibitors atazanavir and atazanavir/ritonavir. Opioid-dependent, buprenorphine/naloxone-maintained, HIV-negative volunteers (n=10 per protease inhibitor) participated in two 24-h sessions to determine pharmacokinetics of (1) buprenorphine and (2) buprenorphine and atazanavir (400mg daily) or atazanavir/ritonavir (300/100mg daily) following administration for 5 days. Objective opiate withdrawal scale scores and mini-mental state examination were determined prior to and following antiretroviral administration to examine pharmacodynamic effects. Pharmacokinetics of atazanavir and atazanavir/ritonavir were compared in subjects and matched, healthy controls (n=10 per protease inhibitor) to determine effects of buprenorphine. With atazanavir and atazanavir/ritonavir, respectively concentrations of buprenorphine (p<0.001, p<0.001), norbuprenorphine (p=0.026, p=0.006), buprenorphine glucuronide (p=0.002, p<0.001), and norbuprenorphine glucuronide (NS, p=0.037) increased. Buprenorphine treatment did not significantly alter atazanavir or ritonavir concentrations. Three buprenorphine/naloxone-maintained participants reported increased sedation with atazanavir/ritonavir. Atazanavir or atazanavir/ritonavir may increase buprenorphine and buprenorphine metabolite concentrations and might require a decreased buprenorphine dose.
DOI10.3109/00952990.2011.568081
Alternate JournalDrug Alcohol Depend

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