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HIV Drug Chart (Overview)
Updated: February 2010
The number of drugs available to fight HIV keeps growing. This is good news,
but it can also make it difficult to figure out what’s what. Use this HIV drugs
overview to find basic information on all of the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA)-approved HIV drugs, such as:
Drug name
Drug class
How many times a day the drug is usually taken
Some of the side effects the drug may have
We have also listed the drug makers and their Web address so you can access
more information about each drug and patient assistance. Most companies
have a patient assistance program (PAP) to help you get a drug if you have
no insurance and can’t afford it and some companies offer help with co-payments
for those do have insurance. For more information on individual drugs you
can also check The Well Project’s
drug info sheets.
[*Note: Sometimes a drug regimen is "boosted" with a low dose of the
protease inhibitor (PI) Norvir to improve the effectiveness of another PI in
the regimen.]
Buildup of lactic acid in the blood, enlarged liver,
lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:
Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) before taking Emtriva.
Emtriva fights HBV as well as HIV. If you are co-infected with HBV and HIV,
stopping Emtriva may cause your HBV to get worse.
Anemia, neutropenia, buildup of lactic acid in the blood,
enlarged liver, lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:
Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) before taking Epivir. Epivir
fights HBV as well as HIV. If you are co-infected with HBV and HIV, stopping
Epivir may cause your HBV to get worse.
Peripheral neuropathy, pancreatitis, buildup of lactic acid in
the blood, enlarged liver, lipodystrophy, rare, but serious complication in the
liver known as non-cirrhotic portal hypertension that can result in serious
bleeding and, in some cases, death
Kidney problems, bone problems, buildup of lactic acid in the
blood, enlarged liver, lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:
Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) before taking Viread. Viread
fights HBV as well as HIV. If you are co-infected with HBV and HIV, stopping
Viread may cause your HBV to get worse.
Hypersensitivity (rash, flulike symptoms and sometimes organ
problems, including liver failure), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (severe skin rash
accompanied by fever, fatigue, muscle or joint aches, blisters, facial and
tongue swelling)
Special Considerations:
Contact your health care provider immediately if symptoms of
severe skin reactions develop to discuss possibly stopping Intelence
2 (start with a lower dose for two weeks, then increase to
full dose)
If Boosted,* # of
Doses/Day:
n/a
Common Side Effects:
Nausea, headaches, skin rash, fever, fatigue
Serious Side Effects:
Stevens-Johnson syndrome (severe skin rash accompanied by
fever, fatigue, muscle or joint aches, blisters, facial and tongue swelling),
liver problems
Special Considerations:
Women with CD4 cell counts greater than 250 (including
pregnant women) and men with CD4 cell counts above 400 at the time of starting
treatment have a higher risk of serious liver damage. Careful dosing and liver
monitoring is needed when starting Viramune.
Viramune Patient Assistance or 1-800-556-8317
Co-payment assistance - speak to your health care provider about obtaining a
Viramune Co-Pay Savings Card
Liver toxicity, elevated levels of a muscle enzyme called
creatine kinase
Special Considerations:
Should be used with caution by people who are at increased
risk for muscle problems like myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Contact your health
care provider if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or
weakness.
Co-payment assistance – speak to your health care provider about obtaining
an Abbott Positive Partnership PLUS Card or call 1-888-458-6442
Lexiva
Brand Name:
Lexiva (Telzir in some countries outside the US)
Other Name(s):
n/a
Generic Name(s):
Fosamprenavir
Class of Drug:
PI
Number of Doses a Day:
2
If Boosted,* # of
Doses/Day:
1 or 2
Common Side Effects:
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, gas, headaches,
skin rash, numbness or tingling around the mouth, increased liver enzyme
levels
Serious Side Effects:
Special Considerations:
Heart attacks and increases in cholesterol and kidney stones,
liver problems, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (severe skin rash accompanied by
fever, fatigue, muscle or joint aches, blisters, facial and tongue swelling),
lipodystrophy, sulfa allergy, increased bleeding in people with hemophilia,
high blood sugar, diabetes, or worsening of diabetes
Triglyceride and cholesterol levels should be checked before starting Lexiva
and regularly during treatment. It may be necessary for your health care
provider to treat high cholesterol and triglycerides with other
medications.
Norvir is most commonly used to boost other drugs at 1 or 2
doses per day
Common Side Effects:
Nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, headaches,
heartburn, fatigue, weakness, insomnia, numbness and tingling around the mouth,
increased cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose, increased liver enzyme
levels
Serious Side Effects:
Liver problems, pancreatitis, lipodystrophy, increased
bleeding in people with hemophilia
Special Considerations:
Taking Norvir with certain allergy medications, sedatives,
heart medications, and migraine medications can increase the risk of their side
effects
Liver problems, lipodystrophy, sulfa allergy, increased
bleeding in people with hemophilia, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (severe skin rash
accompanied by fever, fatigue, muscle or joint aches, blisters, facial and
tongue swelling)
Special Considerations:
Liver function should be tested before starting Prezista.
Increased liver function monitoring is a good idea for people with hepatitis or
other liver problems. Prezista is not recommended for people with severe liver
damage.
Risk of skin abscesses at injection site or other severe
injection site reaction (nodules, etc), peripheral neuropathy, possible rare
allergic reaction or increased risk for bacterial pneumonia
Same as those for the individual drugs that make up Atripla:
dizziness, trouble sleeping, drowsiness, nausea, headache, vomiting, trouble
concentrating, and/or rash
Serious Side Effects:
Buildup of lactic acid in the blood, enlarged liver,
lipodystrophy, kidney problems, serious psychiatric symptoms including severe
depression, paranoia, aggression, or thoughts of suicide, Stevens-Johnson
syndrome (severe skin rash accompanied by fever, fatigue, muscle or joint
aches, blisters, facial and tongue swelling), bone problems
Special Considerations:
Atripla is a one-pill, once-daily drug regimen (it does not
have to be used with other HIV medications). Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV)
before taking Atripla. Because Emtriva and Viread also fight HBV, if you are
co-infected with HBV and HIV, stopping Atripla may cause your HBV to get worse.
Women who are pregnant or may get pregnant should not use Sustiva-containing
regimens.
Same as those for the individual drugs that make up Combivir:
nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, headaches, fatigue, insomnia
Serious Side Effects:
Anemia, neutropenia, myopathy, buildup of lactic acid in the
blood, enlarged liver, lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:
Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) before taking Combivir.
Epivir fights HBV as well as HIV. If you are co-infected with HBV and HIV,
stopping Combivir may cause your HBV to get worse.
Same as those for the individual drugs that make up Epzicom:
nausea, diarrhea, headaches, fatigue
Serious Side Effects:
Hypersensitivity reaction, anemia, neutropenia, buildup of
lactic acid in the blood, enlarged liver, lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:
Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) before taking Epzicom. Epivir
fights HBV as well as HIV. If you are co-infected with HBV and HIV, stopping
Epzicom may cause your HBV to get worse. HLA-B*5701 screening (for
hypersensitivity reaction) is recommended before starting a Ziagen-containing
regimen.
Zidovudine (AZT) plus lamivudine (3TC) plus abacavir
Class of Drug:
3 NRTIs
Number of Doses a Day:
2
If Boosted,* # of
Doses/Day:
n/a
Common Side Effects:
Same as those for the individual drugs that make up Trizivir:
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, headaches, fatigue, insomnia
Serious Side Effects:
Hypersensitivity reaction, anemia, neutropenia, myopathy,
buildup of lactic acid in the blood, enlarged liver, lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:
Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) before taking Trizivir.
Because Epivir also fights HBV, if you are co-infected with HBV and HIV,
stopping Trizivir may cause your HBV to get worse. HLA-B*5701 screening (for
hypersensitivity reaction) is recommended before starting a Ziagen-containing
regimen.
Same as those for the individual drugs that make up Truvada:
nausea, diarrhea, headaches, skin rash, skin discoloration
Serious Side Effects:
Kidney problems, bone problems, buildup of lactic acid in the
blood, enlarged liver, lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:
Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) before taking Truvada.
Because both drugs fight HBV as well as HIV, if you are co-infected with HBV
and HIV, stopping Truvada may cause your HBV to get worse.
Additional Resources Select the links below for additional material related to HIV drugs and Patient Assistance Programs. Project Inform also has a hotline for patient assistance programs and co-payment programs at 800-822-7422.
A Girl Like Me This online blog is a program of The Well Project and a place for HIV+ women to share stories and experiences. Read the stories of HIV+ women ranging from 25 to 59 years old...from Southern California to South Africa...discussing their strengths, their fears, their differences and their similarities.
Information provided on this website is for educational purposes only. It is designed to support, not replace, personal medical care and should never be used as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis, or hands-on treatment. We recommend all medical decisions be made in consultation with your personal health care provider.
