Alcohol can be used with Triumeq since it won’t interfere with the drug’s active ingredients [1]. However, it’s very important that you don’t mix alcohol with medicine without consulting a doctor.
Triumeq is used for treating adult and pediatric patients infected by HIV. Due to the presence of dolutegravir, which is one of the main components of the drug, Triumeq has properties that inhibit the replication of the virus. The other active ingredients of this med (lamivudine and abacavir) act as powerful selective inhibitors of human immunodeficiency viruses of the first and second types [2].
The antiretroviral effect is due to the inclusion of a monophosphate formation in the DNA chain of the virus, which terminates the link and stops the replication. One pill contains 300 mg of lamivudine, 50 mg of dolutegravir, and 600 mg of abacavir sulfate. The ratio of the concentration needed to effectively inhibit viral replication can be changed according to the type of virus and the tissue containing it.
Triumeq can be used with alcohol. However, caution should be taken, and one should not consume excessive alcohol amounts.
As abacavir is metabolized through alcohol dehydrogenase, alcohol reduces the removal of this ingredient, resulting in an increase in exposure to abacavir. From a study involving HIV-infected men, the simultaneous consumption of abacavir and alcohol resulted in a 26% increase in the half-life of abacavir, and its AUC was increased by 41%. While the changes were statistically significant, they were clinically insignificant [3].
It is important to note, that alcohol itself is known to contribute to risky behavior, which can lead to the disruption of the medication regimen and hence to the potential HIV resistance to the drug.