What is the biggest side effect you see when you give someone Kaletra?

In the short term, we often see bloating and some diarrhea. We try to use it once a day to help in compliance, if we are using it as a first protease inhibitor. In this setting, it may improve if we switch to twice daily dosing. If you are already on Kaletra twice daily and this happens, it may go away over time, with the help of medication to control the symptoms. If it does not, then it is up to you if you can tolerate the symptoms or if you want to try something else.

In the medium term, it may cause elevation of blood triglyceride levels. this may be dangerously high in 10% or more of patients, and would require a change in therapy.

In the long term, the risk of lipodystrophy and metabolic abnormalities is real, and needs to be watched for.

All of this being said, it is generally well tolerated by most patients and is highly effective. The DHHS in the United States has made it a drug of choice in initial HAART regimens.