darunavir vs pimozide
Side-by-side comparison of darunavir and pimozide. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
major Known Drug Interaction
pimozide ↑ pimozide Co-administration is contraindicated due to potential for serious and/or life-threatening reactions such as cardiac arrhythmias.
Recommendation: Do not take these two medicines together because of the high risk of life-threatening heart rhythm problems.
Darunavir is a medicine used to treat HIV. It belongs to a class of drugs called protease inhibitors and must be taken with ritonavir.
Pimozide (Orap) is a medicine that helps control tics in people with Tourette's Disorder. It works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain.
Darunavir is used to treat HIV-1 infection in adults and children 3 years and older. It must be taken with ritonavir and other HIV medicines. Darunavir helps to lower the amount of HIV in your body.
Pimozide is used to treat motor and phonic tics in people with Tourette's Disorder. It is for people who have not had success with other treatments. This medicine is not for tics that are mild or just annoying. It is meant for people whose tics greatly affect their daily life.
Darunavir is a protease inhibitor. It works by blocking an enzyme called protease that HIV needs to make copies of itself. This helps to slow down the spread of HIV in your body.
Pimozide belongs to a class of drugs called antipsychotics. It works by blocking dopamine, a chemical in the brain. By blocking dopamine, pimozide helps to reduce tics.
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Rash
- • Headache
- • Abdominal pain
- • Parkinson-like symptoms (tremors, stiffness)
- • Restlessness
- • Muscle stiffness
- • Drowsiness
- Baby exposed to drug during pregnancy 1,150
- Interaction between medicines 981
- Pain 889
- Emotional upset 812
- Worry 811
- Interaction with another medicine 76
- Parkinson-like symptoms 42
- Weight gain 37
- Sleepiness 33
- Low blood pressure 29
Darunavir can cause liver problems. Your doctor should check your liver before you start taking darunavir and during treatment. Tell your doctor right away if you have any signs of liver problems, such as yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Pimozide can cause changes in your heart rhythm (QT prolongation). This can lead to serious heart problems. You should have an ECG (heart test) before starting pimozide and regularly during treatment. Do not take pimozide with other medicines that can also affect your heart rhythm.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. The recommended dose during pregnancy is 600 mg twice daily with ritonavir 100mg and food. Women with HIV should not breastfeed because HIV can be passed to the baby through breast milk.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if pimozide will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking pimozide during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
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How to Read This darunavir vs pimozide Comparison
darunavir is classified in the HIV Protease Inhibitor drug class, while pimozide sits within the Typical Antipsychotic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, darunavir has 4,643 submissions while pimozide has 217. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to darunavir increases the level of pimozide in the body, which can cause the heart to beat in a dangerous way.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between darunavir and pimozide - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.