Atripla (efavirenz + emtricitabine + tenofovir)

A combination drug consisting of a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (efavirenz) and two nucleoside analog reverse transciptase inhibitors (emtricitabine and tenofovir).

A tablet consisting of 600mg of efavirenz, 200mg of emtricitabine, and 300mg of tenofovir.

Take one tablet once daily

Atripla should be taken on an empty stomach at bedtime (to avoid the side effects associated with the efavirenz).

The side effects are those of the three individual drugs contained in Atripla. They include:

• vivid dreams
• restlessness or anxiety
• drowsiness
• dizziness
• insomnia
• headache
• nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
• loss of appetite

Important Note: About 5% of patients taking efavirenz experience severe psychiatric side effects. If you experience severe or worsening depression or other psychatric symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

Atripla has potential drug interactions with the following drugs:

• drugs to treat tuberculosis
• erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra or Cialis
• antiarrythmics (heart medicine)
• antihistamines
• methadone (can lower methadone levels)
• buprenorphrine (can lower buprenorphrine)
• St. John's Wort (can lower levels of Atripla)

If you intend on becoming pregnant, think you are pregnant or have had a positive pregnancy test, contact your doctor immediately. Efavirenz should not be taken while pregnant.

To learn more about Atripla, try About.com's Drug Finder.

More medication fact sheets

_{Source: Fact Sheet Number 439; AIDS Infonet, 2006.}