Atripla® (Efavirenz/Tenofovir/FTC)
Who should take this?
Atripla is not recommended for people younger than 18 years of age. Some patients, such as those with liver or kidney disease, may require different doses of efavirenz, emtricitabine and tenofovir DF. They should not take Atripla.
Pregnant women should not take Atripla. The drugs can cause harm a fetus. It is recommended that women should not breastfeed or become pregnant while taking Atripla.
How is it taken? / Dosage
Atripla comes in tablet and is taken by mouth without food.
Side Effects
Atripla has a number of side effects. These include:
- A higher risk of getting lactic acidosis
- A higher risk of liver problems, including developing a fatty liver or flare ups of hepatitis B
- Mental or emotional symptoms such as severe depression, suicidal thoughts, aggressive behavior and paranoia. Such symptoms appear more often in people with a history of injection drug use or mental illness.
- Nervous system symptoms such as dizziness, not being able to sleep, not being able to concentrate, sleepiness, memory loss, unusual dreams or hallucinations
When symptoms appear at the beginning of treatment, they usually go away in two to four weeks.
People who have kidney disease may get further damage if they take Atripla.
People who have been infected with hepatitis B may get a severe reaction if they stop taking Atripla.
Whenever a person taking Atripla has any side effects, he or she should consult with the doctor. Some side effects are not serious. Other side effects may require an adjustment in a person’s medicines.
Drug Interactions
The following medications can cause serious and life-threatening side effects if taken with Atripla:
- Antihistamines such as Hismanol® (astemizole)
- Acid reflux or heartburn treatments such as Propulsid® (cisapride)
- Sedatives such as Versed® (midazolam) or Halcion® (triazolam)
- Migraine head treatments such as Cafergot®, Wigraine and any other ergot medications
- Other antiretroviral drugs such as Combivir®, Emtriva®, Epivir®, Epivir-HBV®, Epzicom®, Trizivir®, Sustiva®, Truvada® or Viread®
- Fungus infection treatments such as Vfend®
People taking Atripla should inform their healthcare providers if they are also taking:
- Antibiotics like Rifadin® (rifampin)
- Antiretrovirals such as Crixivan (indinavir), Invirase (saquinavir), Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir), Reyataz (atazanavir sulfate) and Videx, Videx EC
- Anti-seizure medications like Dilantin and Tegretol
- Cholesterol-lowering drugs such as Lipitor (atorvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin)
- Drugs to fight bacterial infections such as tuberculosis or Mycobacterium Aviumcomplex (MAC), including Biaxin® (clarithromycin) and Mycobutin® (rifabutin)
- Fortovase (systemic saquinavir)
- Methadone, which is given to treat heroin addiciton
It may be necessary to change dosages or switch to a different medicine to avoid side effects.
St. John’s wort should not be taken with Atripla. The herb can lower the amount of Atripla in the blood.
Resistance
HIV can adapt and change (mutate). When this happens drugs that once were effective against HIV no longer are. The virus has found a way to grow even when the drug is taken properly. Signs of resistance are an HIV viral load that doesn’t drop.
As with all HIV drugs, it is important to take Atripla as prescribed. Missing or skipping doses can cause your blood levels of the drug to fall too low and resistance can develop.
