HIV Drug Chart/Overview

From The Well Project

May 2012

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Table of Contents

Introduction

The number of drugs available to fight HIV keeps growing. This is good news, but it can also make it difficult to figure out what's what. Use this HIV drugs overview to find basic information on all of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved HIV drugs, such as:

Drug name
Drug class
Some of the side effects the drug may have

We have also listed the drug makers and their internet addresses so you can get more information about each drug and patient assistance. Most companies have a patient or prescription assistance program (PAP) to help you get a drug if you have no insurance and can't afford it. Some companies offer help with co-payments for those who do have insurance.

Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)

Emtriva

Brand Name:		Emtriva
Other Name(s):		FTC
Generic Name(s):		Emtricitabine
Class of Drug:		NRTI
Common Side Effects:		Nausea, diarrhea, headaches, rash, skin discoloration
Serious Side Effects:		Lactic acidosis, liver problems, lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:		Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) before taking Emtriva. Emtriva fights HBV as well as HIV. If you are co-infected with HBV and HIV, stopping Emtriva may cause your HBV to get worse.
Pregnancy:		No evidence of increased likelihood of birth defects
Women-Specific Information:		Women are more likely than men to develop lactic acidosis with long-term use of NRTIs
Who Produces the Drug:		Gilead
Web Site for Drug Info:		www.gileadhiv.com
Patient Assistance:		Gilead Patient Assistance 1-800-226-2056 Co-payment assistance at 1-888-358-0398

Epivir

Brand Name:		Epivir
Other Name(s):		3TC
Generic Name(s):		Lamivudine
Class of Drug:		NRTI
Common Side Effects:		Nausea, diarrhea, headaches, fatigue
Serious Side Effects:		Liver problems, lipodystrophy, peripheral neuropathy, pancreatitis
Special Considerations:		Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) before taking Epivir. Epivir fights HBV as well as HIV. If you are co-infected with HBV and HIV, stopping Epivir may cause your HBV to get worse.
Pregnancy:		No evidence of increased likelihood of birth defects; short-term use demonstrated to be safe for mothers and infants; present in breast milk of nursing mothers
Women-Specific Information:		Women are more likely than men to develop lactic acidosis with long-term use of NRTIs
Who Produces the Drug:		Viiv Healthcare
Web Site for Drug Info:		Epivir
Patient Assistance:		Bridges to Access 1-866-728-4368 Co-payment assistance at www.mysupportcard.com/ Viiv Healthcare Patient Assistance Program 877-784-4842

Retrovir

Brand Name:		Retrovir
Other Name(s):		AZT, ZDV
Generic Name(s):		Zidovudine
Class of Drug:		NRTI
Common Side Effects:		Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, headaches, fatigue, trouble sleeping
Serious Side Effects:		Anemia, neutropenia, Lactic acidosis, liver problems, lipodystrophy, myopathy (muscle pain and weakness)
Pregnancy:		No evidence of increased likelihood of birth defects; short-term use demonstrated to be safe for mothers and infants; effective at reducing mother-to-child transmission
Women-Specific Information:		Women are more likely than men to develop lactic acidosis with long-term use of NRTIs, especially Retrovir
Who Produces the Drug:		Viiv Healthcare
Web Site for Drug Info:		Retrovir
Patient Assistance:		Bridges to Access 1-866-728-4368 Co-payment assistance at http://www.mysupportcard.com/ Viiv Healthcare Patient Assistance Program 877-784-4842

Videx EC

Brand Name:		Videx EC
Other Name(s):		ddI
Generic Name(s):		Didanosine
Class of Drug:		NRTI
Common Side Effects:		Nausea, diarrhea, headaches, trouble sleeping, rash
Serious Side Effects:		Peripheral neuropathy, pancreatitis, Lactic acidosis, liver problems, lipodystrophy; rarely, a severe liver condition known as non-cirrhotic portal hypertension that can be fatal
Special Considerations:		Methadone, a drug often used by those recovering from heroin addiction, can reduce the amount of Videx in the blood and make Videx less effective
Pregnancy:		Sometimes fatal lactic acidosis in pregnant women taking Videx and Zerit together
Women-Specific Information:		Women are more likely than men to develop lactic acidosis with long-term use of NRTIs, especially Videx
Who Produces the Drug:		Bristol-Myers Squibb
Web Site for Drug Info:		Videx EC
Patient Assistance:		The Partnership for Prescription Assistance 1-888-477-2669 or www.pparx.org No co-payment assistance is available

Viread

Brand Name:		Viread
Other Name(s):		TDF
Generic Name(s):		Tenofovir
Class of Drug:		NRTI
Common Side Effects:		Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, gas, rash, headache, weakness
Serious Side Effects:		Kidney problems, bone problems, Lactic acidosis, liver problems, lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:		Get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) before taking Viread. Viread fights HBV as well as HIV. If you are co-infected with HBV and HIV, stopping Viread may cause your HBV to get worse.
Pregnancy:		No evidence of increased likelihood of birth defects
Women-Specific Information:		Women are more likely than men to develop lactic acidosis with long-term use of NRTIs
Who Produces the Drug:		Gilead
Web Site for Drug Info:		Viread
Patient Assistance:		Gilead Patient Assistance 1-800-226-2056 Co-payment assistance at 1-888-358-0398

Zerit

Brand Name:		Zerit
Other Name(s):		d4T
Generic Name(s):		Stavudine
Class of Drug:		NRTI
Common Side Effects:		Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, rash
Serious Side Effects:		peripheral neuropathy, pancreatitis, Lactic acidosis, liver problems, lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:		Methadone, a drug often used by those recovering from heroin addiction, can reduce the amount of Zerit in the blood and make Zerit less effective
Pregnancy:		Sometimes fatal lactic acidosis in pregnant women taking Videx and Zerit together
Women-Specific Information:		Women are more likely than men to develop lactic acidosis with long-term use of NRTIs, especially Zerit
Who Produces the Drug:		Bristol-Myers Squibb
Web Site for Drug Info:		Zerit
Patient Assistance:		The Partnership for Prescription Assistance 1-888-477-2669 or www.pparx.org No co-payment assistance is available

Ziagen

Brand Name:		Ziagen
Other Name(s):		ABC
Generic Name(s):		Abacavir
Class of Drug:		NRTI
Common Side Effects:		Nausea, vomiting, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping
Serious Side Effects:		Hypersensitivity reaction, Lactic acidosis, liver problems, lipodystrophy
Special Considerations:		HLA-B*5701 screening (for hypersensitivity reaction) is recommended before starting a Ziagen-containing regimen. Studies do not agree on whether taking Ziagen can increase your risk of heart disease. If you think you might be at increased risk of heart disease, you should talk to your health care provider about whether you should take Ziagen.
Pregnancy:		No evidence of increased likelihood of birth defects
Women-Specific Information:		Women are more likely than men to develop lactic acidosis with long-term use of NRTIs
Who Produces the Drug:		Viiv Healthcare
Web Site for Drug Info:		Ziagen
Patient Assistance:		Bridges to Access 1-866-728-4368 Co-payment assistance at www.mysupportcard.com/ Viiv Healthcare Patient Assistance Program 877-784-4842

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