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Posts Tagged ‘Atripla’

HIV regimens can be complicated. Most regimens require taking number of pills each day. Some medications are taken on an empty stomach while others are to be taken with meals. HIV infected people who are sick, who are experiencing HIV symptoms or the negative side effects of their medications. A quality patient-provider relationship can also be identified as an important source of adhering to HIV medications. Understanding the predicament of the majority of HIV positive persons, conceived a breakthrough in HIV treatment administration. Surely, there are ways anyone can do to better adhere to ones HIV medications but Vonavir/Atripla took all the burden away.

Atripala is the first multi-class

antiretroviral drug available in the United States and marked the first collaboration of two US pharmaceutical companies to combine their patented anti-HIV drugs into one product. It was approved by the Food and Drugs Administration on July 12, 2006. Atripla is the result of unprecedented effort between Gilead Sciences the manufacturer of Emtriva and Viread, with Bristol-Myers Squibb the maker of Sustiva.This wonderful innovation of a pill combines the active ingredients of Sustiva (efavirenz) a Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor (NNRTI) with Emtriva (emtricitabine) and Veriad (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), two Nucleoside Reverse transcriptase Inhibitor (NRTI). Dosing of Atripla is suitable to be taken at bedtime to improve tolerability of the nervous system and it is not recommended for HIV patients under 18 years old.

Common side effects of Atripla are tiredness, dizziness, stomach and intestinal upset and skin discoloration. More severe side effects are hallucination and sleeplessness. According to the official website of Atripla, medications that should not be taken with Atripla are: Hizmanal (astimizole), Vascor (bepridel), Propulsid (cisapride), Versed (midazolam), Orap (pimozide), Halcion (triazolam), or ergot derivatives. Discuss any other HIV or hepatitis medication you are taking  with your doctor to avoid complication. Atripla can significantly simplify HIV drug regimen by easing the pill burden, helping to increase adherence and thus reducing potential development of viral resistance to the drugs. This may result in longer term effectiveness of the drug regimen. Learn more, hiv aids treatments

Efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir are approved individually by the FDA for the treatment of HIV infection in adults. In addition Efavirenz and Emtricitabine are approved for use in children who are infected with HIV.  These three medicines are frequently prescribed together, the manufacturers have combined them into one tablet. Atripla (Tenovir/Emtricitabine/Efavirenz) came onto the market in July of 2006 as a FDA approved treatment for HIV. Atripla may be used as a complete regimen or in combination with other anti retroviral.

As a result Atripla has become a leading medication in the fight against HIV/AIDS and has helped people living with HIV a great deal. This helps to make dealing with HIV simplier and the drug regimens more effective because it reduces forgotten doses. This reduces the number of drug resistant mutations that can occur.

Atripla (Viraday) does not cure or prevent HIV infection or HIV and does not reduce the risk of passing the virus to other people. Atripla can causes a number of unwanted side effects. More serious side effects of Efavirenz are confusion, depression, abnormal thinking, hallucinations, memory loss, thoughts of suicide, and paranoid thinking. Some people can develop a bad rash. The NRTIs in Atripla can cause a sometimes fatal lactic acidosis and liver disease as well as blood problems or muscle weakness. You should tell your doctor if while taking Atripla you suffer from pain in your joints, muscles, stomach and weakness, trouble with breathing, nausea, a feeling of cold, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, jaundice, dark urine and loss of appetite. Patients should notify their doctor if they have any of the side effects listed. Side effects that are not as severe can lessen or disappear with continued use. Patients should notify their doctor if side effects continue or worsen. If you have hepatitis B you should pay attention if you stop taking Atripla because this may cause a adverse reaction.