Efavirenz tablets for HIV

About efavirenz

Efavirenz is an antiretroviral medicine. It is used for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It slows the progress of HIV infection, but it is not a cure. HIV destroys cells in the body, called CD4 T cells. These cells are a type of white blood cell and are important because they are involved in protecting your body from infection. If left untreated, the HIV infection weakens your immune system so that your body cannot defend itself against bacteria, viruses and other germs. Efavirenz slows down the progress of HIV infection by reducing the amount of virus in your body. It does this by stopping the virus from copying (replicating) itself.

Efavirenz will be prescribed for you in a hospital clinic by a doctor who is a specialist. It belongs to a group of antiretroviral medicines known as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. It is given alongside a number of other antiretroviral medicines, as part of a combination therapy. Taking three or more antiretroviral medicines at the same time is more effective than taking one alone. Taking a combination of different medicines also reduces the risk that the virus will become resistant to any individual medicine. It is vital to take them exactly as prescribed to maintain success and to help to prevent the virus from becoming resistant to the medicines. These medicines are usually taken for life.

Before taking efavirenz

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking efavirenz it is important that your doctor knows:

• Si está embarazada, esperando un bebé o en período de lactancia.

• Si tiene algún problema con el funcionamiento de su hígado, o si tiene algún problema con el funcionamiento de sus riñones.

• If you have a heart condition, such as an irregular heartbeat or heart failure.

• If you have ever had any mental health problems.

• Si alguna vez ha tenido un ataque (convulsión).

• If you have been told you have very low levels of some salts in your blood.

• Si padece un raro trastorno sanguíneo hereditario llamado porfiria.

• Si está tomando otros medicamentos. Esto incluye todos los medicamentos que se pueden comprar sin receta, así como las hierbas medicinales y los medicamentos complementarios.

• Si alguna vez ha tenido una reacción alérgica a un medicamento.
  

How to take efavirenz tablets

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about efavirenz, and it will also provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

• Take efavirenz exactly as your doctor tells you to. The usual dose for an adult is one 600 mg tablet daily. The dose will also be printed on the label of the pack to remind you about what the doctor said.

• Efavirenz should be taken when your stomach is empty, which means taking it one hour before a meal, or waiting until two hours after you've eaten. This is because your body absorbs more efavirenz after a meal, which makes side-effects much more likely.

• Try to take efavirenz at the same time of day each day, as this will help you to remember to take efavirenz regularly. Your doctor is likely to recommend you take your doses at bedtime.

• Do not drink grapefruit juice while you are on efavirenz. This is because a chemical in grapefruit juice is thought to increase the amount of efavirenz in your bloodstream, making side-effects more likely.

• If you forget to take a dose, do not 'double-up' on the following day to make up for the missed dose. Leave out the forgotten dose from the previous day and take the dose that is due as normal.

Aproveche al máximo su tratamiento

• Acuda regularmente a las citas con su médico para que pueda controlar su evolución. Deberá someterse a análisis de sangre periódicos.

• It is important that you continue to take efavirenz and your other antiretroviral treatment regularly. This will help to prevent the HIV from becoming resistant to the medicines you are taking. Even if you miss only a small number of doses, the virus can become resistant to treatment.

• If you develop an infection soon after you start the treatment, let your doctor know. As a result of taking efavirenz, your immune system may start fighting an infection which was present before you started the treatment, but which you may not have been aware of.

• Siga al pie de la letra las recomendaciones de su médico sobre cambios en el estilo de vida para reducir el riesgo de daños en el corazón y los vasos sanguíneos. Por ejemplo, dejar de fumar, comer sano y hacer ejercicio con regularidad.

• Aunque el tratamiento con antirretrovíricos puede reducir el riesgo de transmitir el VIH a otras personas a través del contacto sexual, no lo detiene. Es importante que utilices preservativos.

• No es infrecuente que las personas seropositivas se sientan decaídas o incluso deprimidas, sobre todo poco después del diagnóstico y del inicio del tratamiento. Si te sientes deprimido o tienes pensamientos angustiosos sobre hacerte daño, habla con tu médico inmediatamente.

• Algunas personas que han tomado antirretrovirales (sobre todo durante mucho tiempo) han desarrollado una enfermedad llamada osteonecrosis. Se trata de una enfermedad ósea en la que el tejido óseo muere debido a la reducción del riego sanguíneo. Produce dolores y rigidez en las articulaciones y puede dificultar el movimiento. Si notas alguno de estos síntomas, habla con tu médico.

• If you buy any medicines, supplements or herbal remedies 'over the counter', check with a pharmacist that they are suitable to take with efavirenz and your other medicines. This is because some medicines interfere with antiretrovirals and can stop them from working properly. In particular, do not take St John's wort.

• Algunas personas que toman antirretrovirales desarrollan cambios en la distribución de la grasa corporal. Esto puede provocar cambios en la imagen corporal. Tu médico hablará contigo sobre esta posibilidad.

• Si va a someterse a una operación o a un tratamiento dental, comunique a la persona que lleve a cabo el tratamiento qué medicamentos está tomando.

• Treatment for HIV is usually lifelong. Continue to take efavirenz regularly, even if you feel well. This is to keep your immune system healthy.

Can efavirenz cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with efavirenz. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to efavirenz, speak with your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.

How to store efavirenz

• Mantenga todos los medicamentos fuera del alcance y de la vista de los niños.

• Almacenar en un lugar fresco y seco, lejos del calor y la luz directos.

Información importante sobre todos los medicamentos