Amprenavir Precautions 

Amprenavir:  What Should  I Tell My Healthcare Provider? 

You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking amprenavir (Agenerase®) if you have: 

• Liver disease, such as liver failure, cirrhosis, or hepatitis 
• Kidney disease, such as kidney failure (renal failure) 
• Diabetes
• High triglycerides 
• Hemophilia  
• Any allergies, including allergies  to food, dyes,  or preservatives.  

Also, let your healthcare provider know if  you are: 

• Pregnant  or thinking of becoming pregnant 
• Breastfeeding.

You should also be sure to  tell your healthcare provider about any other medicines you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
 
Specific Precautions and Warnings With Amprenavir 

Warnings and precautions  to be aware  of prior to taking amprenavir include  the following: 

• Amprenavir oral solution (but not capsules) contains propylene glycol, which can be toxic  if taken in large quantities. Due to these risks, amprenavir oral solution should never be taken by children under four years old, pregnant women,  or people who  have liver or kidney failure. Also, people who take amprenavir oral solution should not drink alcohol. 
• Children who take amprenavir oral solution should be switched to amprenavir capsules as soon as they  are able  to swallow the capsules. It is important to note that these two products  are not equivalent on a mg-per-mg basis (in other words, 50 mg of amprenavir solution is not equivalent  to a 50-mg amprenavir capsule). 
• Amprenavir can destroy red blood cells (this is known as hemolytic anemia). 
• The medication frequently causes skin rashes. Most often, these rashes are harmless, although sometimes they can be quite dangerous. Let your healthcare provider know if  you develop a rash  while taking amprenavir. 
• Amprenavir is a sulfonamide (a "sulfa" drug). Therefore, if you have a sulfa allergy, do not take  amprenavir without first talking to  your healthcare provider. 
• The liver helps to remove amprenavir from the blood. Therefore,  if you have liver disease,  amprenavir can make it worse. Make sure to tell your healthcare provider if  you already have liver disease or liver damage prior to taking the drug. 
• Amprenavir can cause high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). This can cause problems for people who have diabetes, or it can even cause diabetes in individuals who are at risk for the condition. 
• There have been reports of bleeding due to protease inhibitors (such as amprenavir) in people who have hemophilia. Be sure your healthcare provider knows if  you have this condition. 
• Amprenavir can increase triglyceride levels. Your healthcare provider  should regularly check  your triglyceride and cholesterol levels while you are taking the medication. 
• The medication can change the distribution of  fat on your body. You  may gain fat in  areas that are not typical for you,  such as in the abdomen or at the back of the neck (a "buffalo hump"),  and you may lose weight in other areas. 
• Amprenavir is not a cure for HIV or AIDS. If you have HIV or AIDS, you  should always use safer sex practices, whether or  not you are taking medications. 
• As with all HIV medications, it is important that  you take amprenavir exactly as prescribed. Missing doses may increase the chance of the virus becoming resistant  to HIV medications. 
• Amprenavir can interact with  a number of different medications (see Drug Interactions With Amprenavir). 
• Amprenavir is considered a pregnancy Category C medication. This means that it may not be safe for use during pregnancy, although the full risks are not known (see Agenerase and Pregnancy). Amprenavir oral solution (but not capsules) should never be taken during pregnancy. 
• It is not known if amprenavir passes through breast milk. Therefore, if  you are breastfeeding or plan to start, discuss this with your healthcare provider prior to taking  the drug (see Agenerase and Breastfeeding). It is important to understand that  the HIV virus can be transmitted through breast milk  and that breastfeeding is usually  not recommended in women who have HIV or AIDS.