Pronunciation: EM-trye-SYE-ta-been/ten-OF-oh-vir
Generic Name: Emtricitabine/Tenofovir
Brand Name: Truvada
Severe and sometimes fatal lactic acidosis (a buildup of lactic acid in the blood) and liver problems have occurred with this type of medicine. The risk may be greater in women, patients who are very overweight, or patients who have been taking nucleoside medicines (eg, emtricitabine, tenofovir) for a long time.
Tell your doctor right away if you develop symptoms of lactic acidosis (eg, unusual weakness or tiredness; unusual muscle pain; fast or difficult breathing; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; feeling cold, especially in the arms and legs; dizziness or light-headedness; fast or irregular heartbeat). Tell your doctor right away if you develop symptoms of liver problems (eg, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, persistent loss of appetite, nausea, stomach pain).
Truvada has not been approved to treat hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The safety and effectiveness of Truvada in patients who have both HBV and HIV infection have not been confirmed. Some patients with both HBV and HIV infection who took Truvada experienced severe worsening of HBV infection after they stopped taking it. Patients who have both HBV and HIV infection need close medical follow-up to check for worsening liver problems for at least several months after they stop Truvada. Keep all doctor and lab appointments. Do not stop taking Truvada without checking with your doctor.
Truvada is used for:
Treating HIV infection in combination with other medicines. Truvada is not a cure for HIV or AIDS. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Truvada is an antiviral combination of 2 reverse transcriptase inhibitors. It works by reducing the amount of HIV in the body by blocking its ability to multiply.
Do NOT use Truvada if:
- you are allergic to any ingredient in Truvada
- you have severe kidney problems or if you require dialysis treatments
- you are taking adefovir, medicines that contain lamivudine, or another medicine that contains emtricitabine or tenofovir
- you take a medicine that may harm your kidneys (eg, an aminoglycoside antibiotic [eg, gentamicin], amphotericin B, cyclosporine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug [NSAID] [eg, ibuprofen], tacrolimus, vancomycin). Ask you doctor if you are not sure if any of your medicines might harm your kidneys
Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
Before using Truvada:
Some medical conditions may interact with Truvada. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:
- if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
- if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
- if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
- if you have kidney problems, lactic acidosis, abnormal liver function tests or liver problems, including HBV infection
- if you have osteoporosis (weak bones), a family history of osteoporosis, or other risk factors of osteoporosis (eg, smoking, poor nutrition), or if you have a history of bone problems (eg, fracture)
Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Truvada. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:
- Acyclovir, cidofovir, ganciclovir, valacyclovir, valganciclovir, or medicines that may harm your kidneys (eg, an aminoglycoside antibiotic [eg, gentamicin], amphotericin B, cyclosporine, an NSAID eg, [ibuprofen], tacrolimus, vancomycin) because they may increase the risk of Truvada's side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if any of your medicines may affect your kidneys
- Adefovir, other medicines that contain emtricitabine or tenofovir, lamivudine, or certain protease inhibitors (eg, atazanavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, tipranavir) because they may increase the risk of Truvada's side effects
- Didanosine because the risk of its side effects may be increased by Truvada
This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Truvada may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.
How to use Truvada:
Use Truvada as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
- An extra patient leaflet is available with Truvada. Talk to your pharmacist if you have questions about this information.
- Take Truvada by mouth with or without food.
- Continue to take Truvada even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses.
- Do not suddenly stop taking Truvada without checking with your doctor. This may cause the virus to become less sensitive to this or other medicines. Some conditions (eg, hepatitis B) could become worse if you suddenly stop taking Truvada.
- Taking Truvada at the same time each day will help you remember to take it.
- If you miss a dose of Truvada, take it as soon as possible. If you do not remember until the next day, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once. Do not take more than 1 dose in the same day.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Truvada.
Important safety information:
- Truvada may cause dizziness or light-headedness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Truvada with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
- You should be tested for HBV infection before you start to take Truvada.
- Keep a list of all the medicines that you take. Make a new list each time medicines are added or stopped. Find out about medicines that should not be taken while you are using Truvada. Be sure that each of your health care providers knows all the medicines that you are taking.
- When your medicine supply is low, get more from your doctor or pharmacist as soon as you can. Do not stop taking Truvada, even for a short period of time. If you do, the virus may grow resistant to the medicine and become harder to treat.
- Truvada is not a cure for HIV infection. Patients may still get illnesses and infections associated with HIV. Remain under the care of your doctor.
- Truvada does not stop the spread of HIV to others through blood or sexual contact. Use barrier methods of birth control (eg, condoms) if you have HIV infection. Do not share needles, injection supplies, or items like toothbrushes or razors.
- Truvada is not for the treatment of HBV. If you have HBV and HIV, you will need close medical follow-up for several months after stopping treatment with Truvada. Follow-up includes medical exams and blood tests to check for HBV infection that could be getting worse.
- The risk of severe side effects (eg, lactic acidosis, severe liver problems) may be greater in women, patients who are very overweight (obese), and patients who have taken nucleoside medicines (eg, emtricitabine, tenofovir) for a long time. Talk with your doctor if you have questions about your risk for severe side effects from Truvada.
- Changes in body fat (eg, an increased amount of fat in the upper back, neck, breast, and trunk, and loss of fat from the legs, arms, and face) may occur in some patients taking Truvada. The cause and long-term effects of these changes are unknown. Discuss any concerns with your doctor.
- Truvada may improve immune system function. This may reveal hidden infections in some patients. Tell your doctor right away if you notice symptoms of infection (eg, fever, sore throat, weakness, cough, shortness of breath) after you start Truvada.
- Ask your doctor if you should take a calcium and vitamin D supplement while you are taking Truvada.
- Lab tests, including liver function, kidney function, and bone mineral density, may be performed while you use Truvada. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
- Truvada should be used with extreme caution in CHILDREN younger than 12 years old, in children weighing less than 77 lb (35 kg), and in ELDERLY patients older than 65 years old; safety and effectiveness in these patients have not been confirmed.
- PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Truvada while you are pregnant. It is not known if Truvada is found in breast milk. Mothers infected with HIV should not breast-feed. There is a risk of passing the HIV infection or Truvada to the baby. Do not breast-feed while taking Truvada.
Possible side effects of Truvada:
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:
Abnormal skin sensations; back pain; cough; darkened skin color on the palms of hands or soles of feet; diarrhea; dizziness; gas; headache; indigestion; joint pain; loss of appetite; nausea; sinus drainage; skin discoloration (small spots or freckles); strange dreams; sweating; tiredness; trouble sleeping; vomiting; weakness; weight loss.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, throat, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); bone pain; chest pain; fever; mental or mood changes (eg, depression); muscle pain or weakness; numbness, burning, pain, or tingling in the hands or feet; severe or persistent dizziness; severe or persistent nausea or vomiting; shortness of breath; stomach pain; symptoms of kidney problems (eg, increased or decreased urination, increased thirst); symptoms of lactic acidosis (eg, unusual weakness or tiredness; unusual muscle pain; fast or difficult breathing; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; feeling cold, especially in the arms and legs; dizziness or light-headedness; fast or irregular heartbeat); symptoms of liver problems (eg, yellowing of the skin or eyes; dark urine; pale stools; persistent loss of appetite).
This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.
See also: Truvada side effects (in more detail)
If OVERDOSE is suspected:
Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center, or emergency room immediately.
Proper storage of Truvada:
Store Truvada at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Do not use Truvada if the seal over the bottle opening is broken or missing. Keep Truvada in its original container and keep the container tightly closed. Do not keep medicine that is out of date or that you no longer need. If you throw any medicines away, make sure that children or pets cannot find them. Keep Truvada out of the reach of children and away from pets.
General information:
- If you have any questions about Truvada, please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
- Truvada is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.
- If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
- Check with your pharmacist about how to dispose of unused medicine.
This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Truvada. If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
More Truvada resources
- Truvada Side Effects (in more detail)
- Truvada Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Drug Images
- Truvada Drug Interactions
- Truvada Support Group
- 5 Reviews for Truvada - Add your own review/rating
- Truvada Prescribing Information (FDA)
- Truvada Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information
- Truvada Consumer Overview
Compare Truvada with other medications
- HIV Infection
- Nonoccupational Exposure
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