by Dr Pandula Siribaddana

Created on: September 03, 2010

What is Atripla?

Atripla is a drug which contains three anti-HIV medicines in one pill and has been used to treat HIV infected patients with encouraging results. One of the most unique features of Atripla is that, it replaces the cocktail of medications that was necessary to be taken by HIV patients and therefore had increase the compliance as well as its efficacy in dealing with the viral load and the low T cell counts. Atripla contains the anti-retroviral drugs efavirenz, emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate while the combination that is present in Atripla belongs to two classes of anti-retrovirals and therefore its effectiveness would be rather potent than being dealt with a single class of drugs.

When administered, Atripla can be given as a single drug or else in combination with other HIV medications which are prescribed by the physician although certain medications should be avoided due to the possible interactions.

What are the side effects of Atripla?

Atripla can give rise to several side effects which can range from being very mild to rather serious. Let us first take a look at some of the serious side effects which would require urgent medical attention.

Serious side effects:

While taking this drug, it is possible for the liver functions to become deranged and this happens due to its possible liver toxicity with prolonged use. Thus, if there are signs such as pale stools, dark urine, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eye…etc, one should seek medical help in managing these manifestations.

Although sound innocent at the beginning, signs such as nausea, vomiting, muscles pains and unusual weakness can be serious side effects as it indicates a possible buildup of lactic acid in the blood. Because it can progress into a potentially life threatening disease, medical advice needs to be acquired as urgently as possible.

Although not so common, mental disorders such as severe depression, aggressive bahaviours and suicidal thoughts have also been noted among patients whom are taking Atripla along with possible functional deterioration of the kidneys and thinning of the bones. Thus, it is imperative that these manifestations are detected early and be treated in order to prevent them from threatening the life more than being threatened by HIV itself.

Less serious side effects:

Apart from the relatively serious side effects seen with Atripla, there are other side effects which may readily be seen in patients taking this drug and these may include, nausea, upset stomach, rashes, headache and dizziness, poor sleep, drowsiness and troubled concentration…etc. These can most often be transient and will not be indicated as a reason to stop the treatment.

Lastly, when these medications are taken, it is essential that the patient do not alter or stop taking them abruptly unless prescribed by a physician as it can manifest many other side effects. At the same time, it should be noted that, this article does not contain a complete list of possible side effects and the readers are advised to refer the manufacturer literature for more informative description regarding Atripla.

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