Does Ritonavir Interact with Voriconazole?
Ritonavir and Voriconazole have a contraindicated drug interaction according to U.S. FDA drug labeling data. Table 6: Effect of Other Drugs on Voriconazole Pharmacokinetics [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] Drug/Drug Class (Mechanism of Interaction by the Drug) Voriconazole Plasma Exposure (C max and AUC τ after 200 mg every 12 hours) Recommendations for Voriconazole Dosage Adjustment/Comments Rifampin and Rifabutin (CYP450 Induction) Significantly Reduced Contraindicated Efavirenz (400 mg every 24 hours) (CYP450 Induction) Significantly Reduced Contraindicated High-dose Ritonavir (400 mg every 12 hours) (CYP450 Induction) Significantly Reduced Contraindicated Low-dose Ritonavir (100 mg every 12 hours) (CYP450 Induction) Reduced Coadministration of voriconazole and low-dose ritonavir (100 mg every 12 hours) should be avoided, unless an assessment of the benefit/risk to the patient justifies the use of voriconazole Carbamazepine (CYP450 Induction) Not Studied In Vivo or In Vitro , but Likely to Result in Significant Reduction Contraindicated Long Acting Barbiturates (e.g., phenobarbital, mephobarbital) (CYP450 Induction) Not Studied In Vivo or In Vitro , but Likely to Result in Significant Reduction Contraindicated Phenytoin (CYP450 Induction) Significantly Reduced Increase voriconazole maintenance dose from 4 mg/kg to 5 mg/kg IV every12 hours Letermovir (CYP2C9/2C19 Induction) Reduced If concomitant administration of voriconazole with letermovir cannot be avoided, monitor for reduced effectiveness of voriconazole. Frequent monitoring for adverse reactions and toxicity related to voriconazole A Voriconazole-Efavirenz Drug Interaction Study Demonstrated the Potential for the Metabolism of Voriconazole to be Induced by Efavirenz and Other NNRTIs (Decreased Plasma Exposure) Careful assessment of voriconazole effectiveness Table 7: Effect of Voriconazole on Pharmacokinetics of Other Drugs [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] Drug/Drug Class (Mechanism of Interaction by Voriconazole) Drug Plasma Exposure (C max and AUC τ ) Recommendations for Drug Dosage Adjustment/Comments Sirolimus (CYP3A4 Inhibition) Significantly Increased Contraindicated Rifabutin (CYP3A4 Inhibition) Significantly Increased Contraindicated Efavirenz (400 mg every 24 hours) (CYP3A4 Inhibition) Significantly Increased Contraindicated High-dose Ritonavir (400 mg every 12 hours) (CYP3A4 Inhibition) No Significant Effect of Voriconazole on Ritonavir C max or AUC τ Contraindicated because of significant reduction of voriconazole C max and AUC τ Low-dose Ritonavir (100 mg every 12 hours) Slight Decrease in Ritonavir C max and AUC τ Coadministration of voriconazole and low-dose ritonavir (100 mg every 12 hours) should be avoided (due to the reduction in voriconazole C max and AUC τ ) unless an assessment of the benefit/risk to the patient justifies the use of voriconazole Pimozide, Quinidine, Ivabradine (CYP3A4 Inhibition) Not Studied In Vivo or In Vitro , but Drug Plasma Exposure Likely to be Increased Contraindicated because of potential for QT prolongation and rare occurrence of torsade de pointes Ergot Alkaloids (CYP450 Inhibition) Not Studied In Vivo or In Vitro , but Drug Plasma Exposure Likely to be Increased Contraindicated Naloxegol (CYP3A4 Inhibition) Not Studied In Vivo or In Vitro , but Drug Plasma Exposure Likely to be Increased which may Increase the Risk of Adverse Reactions Contraindicated Tolvaptan (CYP3A4 Inhibition) Although Not Studied Clinically, Voriconazole is Likely to Significantly Increase the Plasma Concentrations of Tolvaptan Contraindicated Venetoclax (CYP3A4 Inhibition) Not studied In Vivo or In Vitro , but Venetoclax Plasma Exposure Likely to be Significantly Increased Coadministration of voriconazole is contraindicated at initiation and during the ramp-up phase in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). Patients taking both medications should consult their healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing the dosage of either drug. This information is based on official FDA drug labeling sourced from OpenFDA and the NIH National Library of Medicine.
- Severity
- Contraindicated
- Ritonavir Class
- Cytochrome P450 3A Inhibitor
- Voriconazole Class
- Azole Antifungal
- Management
- Do not take together
- Data Source
- U.S. FDA via OpenFDA
What To Tell Your Doctor or Pharmacist
If you are taking Ritonavir and your doctor is considering prescribing Voriconazole (or vice versa), make sure to:
- Inform your doctor and pharmacist of all current medications, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements
- Ask whether the benefits of combining these medications outweigh the risks for your specific situation
- Ask what symptoms to watch for that would indicate the interaction is causing problems
- Ask about alternative medications that do not interact with your current regimen
- Ask how frequently you should be monitored while these are co-prescribed
- Never stop or change either medication without first consulting your healthcare provider