HIV/AIDS medicines
warning!
efavirenz
(EFV, EFZ, Sustiva)
Efavirenz is an antiretroviral (ARV)
medicine used in combination with other
ARVs to treat AIDS.
Side effects: EFV may cause dizziness,
confusion, mood changes, and strange
dreams, but these will usually go away
after a few weeks. If not, discuss with a
health worker. Seek care immediately
for yellow eyes or severe confusion.
Often comes in: Capsules of 50, 100,
200 mg; tablets of 600 mg; oral solution
of 150 mg/ 5 ml
How to use :
Take 600 mg, by mouth, one time a day.
Interactions with other medicines:
With rifampicin: the effectiveness of
efavirenz is reduced. You may need
to take a higher dose of EFV (800 mg
instead of 600 mg).
WARNING: Women in the first
3 months of pregnancy should
not take EFV. It can cause birth
defects. Women taking EFV who may
become pregnant should use a reliable
family planning method.
efavirenz, lamivudine, nevirapine 361
lamivudine
(3TC, Epivir)
Lamivudine is an antiretroviral (ARV)
medicine used in combination with other
ARVs to treat AIDS. It has very few side
effects.
Often comes in: Tablets of 150 mg;
oral solution of 50 mg/ 5 ml
How to use:
Take 150 mg, by mouth, 2 times a day.
nevirapine
(NVP, Viramune)
Nevirapine is an antiviral (ARV) medicine
used in combination with other ARVs to
treat AIDS. NVP is also used to prevent
mother-to-child transmission of HIV in
pregnancy and during birth.
Side effects: Seek care immediately
for yellow eyes, skin rash, fever, tiredness
with shortness of breath, poor appetite.
Often comes in: Tablets of 200mg;
oral suspension (liquid) of 50mg/5ml
How to use:
To reduce the chance of side effects
when starting NVP as part of an ART
regimen, take only a half dose for
2 weeks—200 mg of NVP once a day.
After 2 weeks, take 200 mg of NVP
2 times a day.
Interactions with other medicines:
With rifampicin: may reduce the
effectiveness of nevirapine.
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities 2007