Atripla vs. Truvada

• Are Truvada and Atripla the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Atripla?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Truvada?
• What Is Atripla?
• What Is Truvada?
• What Drugs Interact with Atripla?
• What Drugs Interact with Truvada?
• How Should Atripla Be Taken?
• How Should Truvada Be Taken?

Atripla (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) are combinations of antiviral medications used to treat HIV, which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Atripla and Truvada are not cures for HIV or AIDS.

Side effects of Atripla and Truvada that are similar include dizziness, trouble sleeping, unusual dreams, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, skin discoloration (such as small spots/freckles, darkening of the palms of the hands/soles of the feet), and changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist).

Side effects of Atripla that are different from Truvada include drowsiness, trouble concentrating, tiredness, gas, and upset stomach.

Side effects of Truvada that are different from Atripla include stomach pain, depression, joint pain, back pain, and itching or skin rash.

Both Atripla and Truvada may interact with antiviral medicines, other HIV medicines, and antibiotics.

Atripla may also interact with sertraline, methadone, blood thinners, cholesterol medications, calcium channel blockers, and seizure medicines.

Truvada may also interact with lithium, methotrexate, pain or arthritis medicines, medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, IV cancer medicines, herpes medications, and medications to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Common side effects of Atripla include:

• dizziness,
• trouble sleeping,
• drowsiness,
• unusual dreams, and
• trouble concentrating.

Side effects may begin 1-2 days after starting Atripla and usually go away in 2-4 weeks. Other side effects of Atripla include:

• tiredness,
• headache,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• gas,
• upset stomach,
• diarrhea, and
• skin discoloration (such as small spots/freckles, darkening of the palms of the hands/soles of the feet), and
• changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist).

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Atripla including:

• unexplained weight loss,
• persistent muscle aches or weakness,
• joint pain,
• numbness or tingling of the hands/feet/arms/legs,
• severe tiredness,
• vision changes,
• severe or persistent headaches,
• signs of infection (such as fever, chills, trouble breathing, cough, non-healing skin sores),
• signs of an overactive thyroid (such as irritability, nervousness, heat intolerance, fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat, bulging eyes, unusual growth in the neck or thyroid known as a goiter), or
• signs of a certain nerve problem known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome (such as difficulty breathing/swallowing/moving your eyes, drooping face, paralysis, slurred speech).

Common side effects of Truvada include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• diarrhea,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• depression,
• joint pain,
• trouble sleeping,
• strange dreams,
• back pain,
• itching or skin rash,
• changes in the color of skin on your palms or soles of your feet, or
• changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist).

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Truvada including:

• mental/mood changes (such as depression, anxiety),
• loss of appetite,
• stomach or abdominal pain,
• pink or bloody urine, or
• changes in the amount of urine.

Atripla (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) is an antiviral medication that treats HIV, which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Atripla is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.

Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) is a combination of antiviral drugs used to treat HIV, which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Truvada is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.

Atripla (efavirenz, lamivudine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) is a three-drug combination of a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, and two nucleo(t)side reverse transcriptase inhibitors indicated as a complete regimen for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in adult and pediatric patients weighing at least 40 kg.

Truvada may interact with lithium, methotrexate, pain or arthritis medicines, medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, IV antibiotics, antiviral medicines, cancer medicines, herpes medications, medications to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV), or other HIV medicines. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. During pregnancy, Truvada should be used only when prescribed. It is normal to prescribe HIV medicines such as Truvada for pregnant women with HIV. This can decrease the risk of passing HIV to the baby. Truvada may be part of that treatment. Consult your doctor. It is unknown if Truvada passes into breast milk. Because breast milk can transmit HIV, do not breastfeed.

The adult dose of Atripla is one tablet once daily taken orally on an empty stomach. Dosing at bedtime may improve the tolerability of nervous system symptoms.

The dose of Truvada for adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with body weight 35 kg (77 lb) or more is one tablet (200 mg of emtricitabine and 300 mg of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) once daily taken orally with or without food.