Potential COVID-19 Treatment Interacts with THIS Popular Drug
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted April 8, 2022
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
Have you heard of the new anti-viral drug that is supposed to put a stop to COVID?
The drug, called ritonavir-nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid), is all over the news… and people are clamoring to get it when they or a loved one are struggling with a COVID-19 infection.
Things have been moving fast in this pandemic and this drug was approved under an emergency authorization. This means it hasn’t gone through the normal testing to make sure it is safe.
This a valid concern—but there’s a much bigger one.
Research has found that ritonavir-nirmatrelvir interacts with a LONG list of drugs, including this popular one.
I always say, you are the one who has to look out for your health – and that’s especially true when things are moving fast.
And that’s exactly the case in this instance.
Ritonavir-nirmatrelvir (Paxolovid) has been shown to have a dangerous interaction with heart medications, including:
- antiarrhythmics (for abnormal heartbeats),
- statins (for high cholesterol),
- and calcium channel blockers (for high blood pressure).
You see, this treatment is actually two drugs in one.
The first, ritonavir, has been used for a long time in treating HIV patients.
The drug works by blocking the detoxification pathway in the liver called CYP3A. This detoxification pathway removes many drugs from the body.
But when you block the pathway, drugs stay around the body longer… which, as you can imagine, could be dangerous thing.
The second half of the formula, nirmatrelvir, is a new antiviral drug designed specifically to attack COVID-19.
When you combine the two drugs, ritonavir keeps nirmatrelvir around longer, increasing the odds it could keep COVID-19 from overtaking your body.
There’s only one problem. There are MANY drugs that are detoxified through the CYP3A system – and if you are taking those drugs, then even a normal dose of that drug can be toxic.
And heart medications (like those listed above) are just the start.
There are many more drugs, including chemotherapy drugs, antifungals, antidepressants, opioids, benzodiazepines, and others that could also interact with the ritonavir-nirmatrelvir combo.
If you have a need to take ritonavir-nirmatrelvir, make sure to let your doctor know you are taking other drugs.
P.S. Did you know that sleeping like this could up your COVID-19 risk? Click here to find out more.
SOURCE:
Pearson, Anthony. “Caution: Paxlovid Interacts With Many Heart Meds.” 1/17/22. https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/skeptical-cardiologist/96692?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2022-01-18&eun=g1428058d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%20Top%20Cat%20HeC%20%202022-01-18&utm_term=NL_Daily_DHE_dual-gmail-definition
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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