Advertisement
Response from Dr. Sherer

No. Although both are three drug combinations, they are NOT the same medications, and not even close.
Atripla is a three drug combination that contains efavirenz (EFV, Sustiva or Stocrin), emtricitabine (FTC or Emtriva), and tenofovir (TDF or Viread).
Trizivir is a three drug combination that contains abacavir (ABC, Ziagen), lamivudine (3TC or Epivir), and zidovudine (AZT, ZDV, or Retrovir).
The only components that are somewhat in common are FTC and 3TC, which are very similar in chemical structure, action, side effects, and resistance. However, there are also some differences, as FTC has a much longer half-life in the blood than 3TC.
Aripla is a preferred initial regimen for the treatment of HIV in the US HHS Guidelines. Trizivir is not recommended for use in initial treatment due to inferior virologic efficacy.
Want to read more questions and answers on this subject? Our experts have answered many similar questions!
|