Delavirdine can be taken with or without food. When you start any anti-viral treatment, you may have temporary side effects such as headaches, hypertension, or just feeling ill. These side effects usually get better or disappear over time. The most common side effect of delavirdine is a skin rash, which develops in about 25 percent of people taking the drug. The risk of the rash can be reduced if you start taking the drug at a lower dose and then increase to the full dose.
Delavirdine is broken down by the liver and can interact with other drugs that also use the liver.
Combining these drugs can change the amount of each drug in your bloodstream and cause an under- or overdose. Drugs to watch out for include several antihistamines, sedatives, and anti-fungal drugs. Make sure that your doctor knows about ALL drugs you are taking. Blood levels of delavirdine may be decreased by ddI , antacids, rifabutin, and rifampin. Be sure to take delavirdine at least one hour apart from ddI or antacids.