ritonavir and 3-4-methylenedioxyethamphetamine

Following the death of a British AIDS patient who was taking the protease inhibitor ritonavir when he died of an overdose of MDMA, or ecstasy, ritonavir producer Abbott Laboratories has acknowledged potentially dangerous interactions between the two drugs. The coroner said that Phillip Kay died of an MDMA overdose, with a blood level nearly 10 times that at which serious toxic effects would be expected. Kay's partner, Jim Lumb, suspected a drug interaction was the cause because he was sure that Kay would not have taken such an excessive dose. Abbott's Dr. P. Kon wrote to Lumb that "Abbott has not conducted, and does not plan on conducting any drug-drug interaction studies between ritonavir and any illegal substances, including ecstasy." However, he noted that the lab's researchers had studied the theoretical interactions between the two drugs. They found that using the two drugs together could result in a 2 to 3 fold increase in MDMA levels and, that, in 3 percent to 10 percent of the population, MDMA levels could increase to as high as 5 to 10 fold. Abbott refused to issue a warning, as Lumb had requested, but the company has made a fact sheet available to British doctors who request the information.

Topics: 3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine; Amphetamine; Cocaine; Drug Interactions; Fatal Outcome; Hallucinogens; Heroin; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Humans; Illicit Drugs; Male; Methadone; Ritonavir

The combination of ritonavir and the illegal drug MDMA (street name ecstasy) may be fatal. People taking both drugs had a two to three fold increase in ecstasy levels in the blood. There may be similar problems with patients on methadone. Abbott Laboratories suggests that this could lead to methadone dosages being decreased by 50 percent.

Topics: 3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine; Analgesics, Opioid; Drug Interactions; Hallucinogens; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Humans; Male; Methadone; Ritonavir