Saturday September 19, 1998 - Question 8

A 27 year-old male with a history of HIV and depression calls your poison center because he feels very sedated and is having difficulty walking.  Upon further questioning you determine that the patient takes ritonavir (Norvir), a protease inhibitor, lamivudine (Epivir), a reverse transcriptase inhibitor and zidovudine (Retrovir), a reverse transcriptase inhibitor, for his HIV.  The patient has been put on many different medications for treatment of peripheral neuropathy.  He was recently changed to carbamazepine.  The patient states that he has been compliant with his physician’s instructions.

Which of the following statements regarding the above case is true?

A. Carbamazepine is not effective for neuropathic pain management.
B. Drug interactions are not expected with the above agents.
C. Ritonavir can inhibit the metabolism carbamazepine.
D. Carbamazepine is well known as an inhibitor of CYP3A4.
E. Lamivudine can cause dramatic increases in carbamazepine serum concentrations.
 
 

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