Kaletra Oral
In Depth
- Uses and How to Use
- Dosage and Storage
- Precautions and Side Effects
- Drug Interactions
- Drug Images
Pronounced: (low-PIN-uh-veer/rye-TAWN-uh-veer)
Kaletra Oral Uses
This combination product contains two medications, lopinavir and ritonavir. This product is used in combination with other medications to help control your HIV infection, thereby improving your quality of life. It also lowers your risk of getting HIV disease complications (e.g., opportunistic infections, cancer). Both lopinavir and ritonavir belong to a class of drugs known as HIV protease inhibitors. The ritonavir in this product helps the lopinavir to stay in your body. This effect builds up the amount of lopinavir in your body, increasing its effectiveness.
This lopinavir/ritonavir product is not a cure for HIV infection, and it does not prevent the spread of HIV to others through sexual contact or blood contamination (e.g., sharing used needles).
How To Use Kaletra Oral
Read the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start using lopinavir/ritonavir and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions regarding the information, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Take this product by mouth, usually twice daily with food or as directed by your doctor.
Dosage is based on your medical condition, response to therapy, and any other anti-HIV medications you may be taking.
Taking this product once a day is not recommended if you have previously taken other drugs to treat your HIV infection. Consult your doctor for more details.
If you are taking didanosine in addition to this product, take it one hour before or two hours after taking this product.
It is very important to continue taking this medication (and other anti-HIV medications) exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
This medication works best when the amount of drug in your body is kept at a constant level. Therefore, take this drug at evenly spaced intervals. Remember to use it at the same time(s) each day. Do not skip any doses.
Do not take more or less of this drug than prescribed, or stop taking it (or other HIV medicines) even for a short time, unless directed to do so by your doctor. Skipping or changing your dose without approval from your doctor may cause the amount of virus to increase, make the infection more difficult to treat (resistant), or worsen side effects.
Find out about other drugs that should not be taken with this product (see Drug Interactions section).
