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HIV and AIDS
Medicines to Help You

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. A person with HIV is called HIV positive (HIV+). 

HIV makes it hard for your body to fight off sickness. There are cells in your blood called "CD4 cells" or "T cells". These cells help protect your body from disease. HIV kills these cells. A person with HIV does not have as many of these cells as a healthy person.

There is hope.

There are drugs that can treat HIV and help people live longer. These medicines help to keep the virus from building up in your body. These drugs do not stop you from spreading HIV. You can still give the disease to someone else.

People with HIV may need to take 3 or more different medicines every day. You and your doctor will decide which ones are right for you. It is important that you take your HIV medicines every day. Do not stop taking your medicines without talking to your doctor. Over time, you can get very sick if you do not take your medicines.

Use this guide to help you talk to your doctor about the HIV medicines you are taking. This guide provides some basic facts about the HIV medicines that have been approved by the FDA.

There are many things you can do to help improve your health.

Women and HIV

Women from all backgrounds and cultures can get HIV. However, increasing numbers of African American and Latino women have HIV.

Learn the facts about women and HIV. Educate yourself to help you live longer. Educate yourself so that you can teach other women how to prevent HIV and AIDS.

Did you know?

Anti-HIV Medicines

The main drug treatment for people with HIV is Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (also called HAART). HAART drugs help to slow the growth of HIV in your body.

HAART is made up of different kinds of medicines:

1. Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)
2. Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs)
3. Protease Inhibitors
4. Fusion Inhibitors
5. Integrase Inhibitors
6. Entry Inhibitors
7. Combination Drugs

The seven different groups of HAART drugs are listed on the next few pages. The brand names and generic names are listed for each drug.

Risks and Side Effects

The drugs used to treat HIV can sometimes cause side effects. Side effects may be different depending on the person and the kind of medicine. Some people have no side effects. Others can have very bad side effects.

Tell your doctor about any side effects you are having. Do not stop taking your medicine without talking to your doctor. Your doctor may tell you tips to help you cope with the side effects. The doctor may also decide to have you take different drugs.

This guide does not give the specific side effects or warnings for each HAART drug. Check the drug label and ask your doctor for the side effects and warnings for the HIV medicines you are taking.

Information about specific drugs can also be found on the FDA Web site at: www.fda.gov/cder/drug/DrugSafety/DrugIndex.htm

Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)

Brand Name Generic Name
Other Names
Combivir Lamivudine and Zidovudine
Emtriva Emtricitabine
FTC
Epivir Lamivudine
3TC
Epzicom Abacavir and Lamivudine
Hivid Zalcitabine
Dideoxycytidine, ddC
Retrovir Zidovudine, AZT,
Azidothymidine, ZDV
Trizivir Abacavir, Zidovudine and Lamivudine
Truvada Tenofovir Disoproxil and Emtricitabine
Videx Didanosine , ddl,
Dideoxyinosine
Videx EC Enteric Coated Didanosine
Viread Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate, TDF
Zerit Stavudine
d4T
Ziagen Abacavir, Sulfate, ABC
For more information about the risks and side effects for each drug, check Drugs@FDA.

Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors: What You Should Know

This guide does not give the specific side effects or warnings for each drug. Check the drug label and ask your doctor for the side effects and warnings for the HIV medicines you are taking.

Warnings

Warning Signs

Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs:

Common Side Effects

Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs)

Brand Name Generic Name
Other Names
Intelence Etravirine
Rescriptor Delavirdine
DLV
Sustiva Efavirenz
EFV
Viramune Nevirapine
NVP
For more information about the risks and side effects for each drug, check Drugs@FDA.

Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors: What You Should Know

This guide does not give the specific side effects or warnings for each drug. Check the drug label and ask your doctor for the side effects and warnings for the HIV medicines you are taking.

Warnings

Warning Signs

Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs:

Also call your doctor right away if you have a severe rash along with blisters, swelling, pink eye, fever, muscle/ joint pain, or mouth sores.

Common Side Effects

Protease Inhibitors

Brand Name Generic Name
Other Names
Agenerase Amprenavir
APV
Aptivus Tipranavir
TPV
Crixivan Indinavir
IDV, MK-639
Fortovase Saquinavir (no longer marketed)
Invirase Saquinavir Mesylate
SQV
Kaletra Lopinavir and Ritonavir
LPV/RTV
Lexiva Fosamprenavir Calcium
FOS-APV
Norvir Ritonavir
RTV
Prezista Darunavir
Reyataz Atazanavir Sulfate
ATV
Viracept Nelfinavir Mesylate
NFV
For more information about the risks and side effects for each drug, check Drugs@FDA.

Protease Inhibitors: What You Should Know

This guide does not give the specific side effects or warnings for each drug. Check the drug label and ask your doctor for the side effects and warnings for the HIV medicines you are taking.

Warnings

Warning Signs

Call your doctor if you have any of these signs:

Common Side Effects

Fusion Inhibitors

Brand Name Generic Name
Other Names
Fuzeon
This medicine is a shot.
Enfuvirtide
T-20
For more information about the risks and side effects for each drug, check Drugs@FDA.

Fusion Inhibitors: What You Should Know

This guide does not give the specific side effects or warnings for each drug. Check the drug label and ask your doctor for the side effects and warnings for the HIV medicines you are taking.

Warnings

Warning Signs

Fuzeon may cause serious allergic reactions. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs.

Common Side Effects

Multi-Class Combination Drugs

Brand Name Generic Name
Atripla Efavirenz, Emtricitabine, and
Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
For more information about the risks and side effects for each drug, check Drugs@FDA.

Combination Drugs: What You Should Know

This guide does not give the specific side effects or warnings for each drug. Check the drug label and ask your doctor for the side effects and warnings for the HIV medicines you are taking.

Warnings

Warning Signs

Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs:

Common Side Effects

Integrase Inhibitors

Brand Name Generic Name
Isentress Raltegravir
For more information about the risks and side effects for each drug, check Drugs@FDA.

Integrase Inhibitors: What You Should Know

This guide does not give all of the specific side effects or warnings for each drug. Check the drug label and ask your doctor for the side effects and warnings for the HIV medicines you are taking.

Warning Signs

You should also see your doctor right away if you have any of these signs:

Common Side Effects

Entry Inhibitors

Brand Name Generic Name
Selzentry Maraviroc
For more information about the risks and side effects for each drug, check Drugs@FDA.

Entry Inhibitors: What You Should Know

This guide does not give all of the specific side effects or warnings for each drug. Check the drug label and ask your doctor for the side effects and warnings for the HIV medicines you are taking.

Warnings

Warning Signs

Selzentry may cause serious liver problems. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs:

You should also see your doctor right away if you have any of these signs:

Serious Side Effects

Common Side Effects

Important Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Ask your doctor to tell you what you should know about your HIV medicines. Write down the important facts in the space below.

My Regimen:

It is important that you take your HIV medicines exactly as your doctor tells you. Do not skip a pill. The medicines may not work correctly if you skip a pill.

Here are some tips to help you remember when to take your HIV medicines.

My Medicine Schedule

Time Drug Name Dose
(How many Pills)
Notes
6:30 XXX (example) 1 Pill Take with food
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

To Learn More

FDA Office of Special Health Issues
FDA HIV/AIDS Info
Web: www.fda.gov/oashi/aids/virals.html

AIDSinfo
US Department of Health and Human Services
Web: www.aidsinfo.nih.gov
Phone: 1-800-448-0440
TTY/TTD: 888-480-3739

CDC
US Department of Health and Human Services
Web: www.cdc.gov/hiv/
Phone: 1-800-232-4636
TTY/TTD: 1-888-232-6348


This information reflects FDA's current analysis of data available to FDA concerning these products. FDA intends to update this sheet when additional information or analyses become available.

For the most recent information about each drug, check Drugs@FDA: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/drugsatfda/

2007

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