Tipranavir is an antiviral medication in a group of HIV medicines called protease (PRO-tee-ayz) inhibitors. Tipranavir prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body.

Tipranavir is used to treat HIV, which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Tipranavir is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.

Tipranavir may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to tipranavir or ritonavir (Norvir), or if you have moderate to severe liver disease.

Life-threatening side effects can occur if you take tipranavir with any of the following medications: alfuzosin (Uroxatral), amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), cisapride (Propulsid), flecainide (Tambocor), lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev, Advicor), sildenafil (Revatio for pulmonary arterial hypertension), simvastatin (Zocor, Simcor, Vytorin), propafenone (Rythmol), rifampin (Rifadin, Rifamate, Rimactane), quinidine (Quin-G), pimozide (Orap), midazolam (Versed), triazolam (Halcion), St. John's wort, or an ergot medicine such as Ergomar, Ergotrate, Cafergot, D.H.E. 45, Migranal, or Methergine.

There are many other medicines that can interact with tipranavir.Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products.

Tipranavir is used in combination with a similar drug called ritonavir (Norvir). Some people taking this combination of medicines have developed life-threatening medical problems including liver damage and bleeding in the brain. If you are taking these two medications, call your doctor at once if you have any of the following side effects:

• unusual bleeding (such as a nosebleed or blood in your urine or stools);

• problems with walking, breathing, speech, swallowing, or eye movement;

• sudden severe headache, confusion, severe drowsiness;

• sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body; or

• nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to tipranavir or ritonavir (Norvir), or if you have moderate to severe liver disease.

Life-threatening side effects can occur if you take tipranavir with any of the following medications:

• alfuzosin (Uroxatral),

• amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone);

• cisapride (Propulsid);

• flecainide (Tambocor), propafenone (Rythmol), quinidine (Quin-G);

• lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev, Advicor) or simvastatin (Zocor, Simcor, Vytorin);

• midazolam (Versed) or triazolam (Halcion);

• pimozide (Orap);

• rifampin (Rifadin, Rifamate, Rimactane);

• sildenafil (Revatio for pulmonary arterial hypertension);

• St. John's wort; or

• ergot medicines for migraine headache (Ergomar, Cafergot, D.H.E. 45, Migranal, Ergotrate, or Methergine).

To make sure you can safely take tipranavir, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

• liver disease (especially hepatitis B or C);

• diabetes;

• high cholesterol or triglycerides;

• a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia; or

• if you are allergic to sulfa drugs.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether tipranavir will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. HIV can be passed to your baby if you are not properly treated during pregnancy. Take all of your HIV medicines as directed to control your infection.

Tipranavir can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using a non-hormone method of birth control (such as a condom, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while taking tipranavir.

Women with HIV or AIDS should not breast-feed a baby. Even if your baby is born without HIV, the virus may be passed to the baby in your breast milk.