Darunavir
Darunavir is an HIV-1 protease inhibitor used with other antiretroviral medicines to control the virus, sold here as 600mg and 800mg film-coated tablets.
What darunavir is used for
Darunavir is an HIV-1 medicine for adults and children, and it always works as part of a combination with other antiretrovirals. HIV needs its protease enzyme to trim newly built proteins to size, and darunavir jams that step. Cells then release virus particles that are incomplete and cannot infect anything. The visible result is a falling viral load, the amount of virus in a blood sample, which stays low only while the tablets keep being taken. A low-dose booster, usually ritonavir, goes with darunavir because the body would otherwise clear it too fast. HIV is not removed from the body, and it comes back when treatment stops.
How darunavir tablets are taken
The strength follows the schedule. The 800mg tablet is a once-a-day dose with a ritonavir booster; the 600mg tablet is taken twice a day, each time with ritonavir. Either one goes down whole with a drink, because the film coating is meant to stay intact, and with food, which helps the body absorb darunavir. Sticking to the same clock times each day keeps blood levels even, and even levels are what keep the virus suppressed.
Side effects worth knowing about
Loose stools, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and headache are common in the first weeks and usually settle as the body adjusts. Rash is common too, but not every rash is harmless: one that spreads and comes with fever, blisters or peeling skin needs urgent treatment. So does yellowing of the eyes or skin, which can mean the liver is inflamed, and swelling of the face, lips or throat with difficulty breathing, which points to a severe allergic reaction.
What interacts with darunavir
Darunavir shifts the blood levels of many other medicines, and they shift its levels in return. Ritonavir and cobicistat are the boosters used with it on purpose. St John's wort works against darunavir, lowering how much stays in the body, and certain medicines for heart rhythm, seizures, migraine and cholesterol, plus some antifungals and herbal products, cause problems too. The list is long enough that any new medicine is worth checking against darunavir before it is added.
Darunavir 600mg and 800mg tablets
Both strengths are film-coated tablets and both sit under one listing, Darunavir tablets: the once-daily 800mg and the twice-daily 600mg. Match the strength to the regimen in use, and leave the strips in their carton until needed.
Sources
- Darunavir: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Darunavir 600 mg film-coated tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) — UK Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC)
Can I order Darunavir online in Hong Kong?
Darunavir tablets in 600mg and 800mg can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong, and this is the only version on the page. A parcel that fails to arrive within the delivery window, or turns up damaged, is sent again free, or refunded when that cannot be done.
How much does Darunavir cost?
Darunavir is priced per pack: its page lists every strength and pack size with the current price in HKD or your chosen currency.
Do I need a prescription to order Darunavir?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order darunavir. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What are the other names for darunavir?
Darunavir is sold under brand names including Prezista. Here, darunavir can be bought online as darunavir tablets. These are generics, not the original brand.
Does darunavir cure HIV?
No. It suppresses the virus rather than removing it, so treatment is long term. Stop the tablets and the viral load climbs again, and the infection can move forward. Taken consistently, darunavir keeps the virus low enough for the immune system to rebuild.
What is the difference between darunavir 600mg and 800mg?
They suit different dosing plans. The 800mg tablet is taken once a day with a ritonavir booster; the 600mg tablet is taken twice a day, with ritonavir twice a day as well. Both are plain darunavir tablets, and the schedule decides which one fits.
Should darunavir be taken with food?
Yes. Take it with a meal or a snack, since darunavir is absorbed better when there is food in the stomach. A glass of water alongside the tablet is fine.
Is darunavir the same as ritonavir?
They are different medicines in the same protease inhibitor class. Ritonavir is used at a low dose next to darunavir to raise the amount of darunavir in the blood, not as the antiviral doing the work. Darunavir is the ingredient that blocks the virus from maturing.