Efavirenz: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use it

What drug is Efavirenz?

What is the drug efavirenz for?

Efavirenz is a capsule form of oral medication that belongs to the group of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), which are antiviral drugs.

This drug is used with other HIV medicines to control infections caused by the HIV virus. Efavirenz works to prevent the HIV virus from multiplying in the body.

Primarily, this drug is used to help reduce the amount of HIV virus in your body so that your immune system will work better. In addition, efavirenz also helps you to reduce your risk of developing HIV complications, such as new infections and cancer.

This medicine may also be used in combination with other HIV medicines to reduce the risk of contracting HIV after first contact with the virus. Consult your doctor for more information.

This medication is a prescription drug so you can only get it by prescription from a doctor.

How do you take the drug efavirenz?

There are several things you should pay attention to when using the following efavirenz drugs, namely:

• Take the medicine once a day before bed, or as directed by your doctor.
• This medicine must be taken on an empty stomach. Taking efavirenz together with food will cause certain side effects.
• You must drink according to the recommended dose because it has been adjusted to your health condition and history of the drugs you are taking.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you are currently using, including prescription / nonprescription drugs and herbal medicines.
• In pediatric patients, body weight is also a factor that must be considered.
• It is important to continue to take this drug (and other HIV medicines) as prescribed by your doctor.
• Skipping or changing doses without your doctor's approval can risk the virus growing drastically, making the infection difficult to treat (drug resistance), or worsening side effects.
• Efavirenz works best when the levels of medicines in your body are stable.
• We recommend that you take this medicine with a regular schedule and the same every day.

Here are the steps you can take to take this drug:

• Swallow this drug with one glass of water. If you have difficulty swallowing the capsule, you can open the capsule shell and dissolve the capsule contents with a small amount of soft food (1-2 tsp), such as pudding, or yogurt.
• Afterward, add 2 teaspoons of the food to the container used for mixing the medicine and swallow it until you are sure you have taken the right dose.
• Take it within 30 minutes after you mix the drug.
• Do not eat other foods for 2 hours after taking this medicine.
• For babies who cannot chew, the contents of the drug can be mixed with 2 tablespoons of baby food and given using an oral injection.

How is efavirenz stored?

This medication is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules.

Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist about how to safely dispose of your product.

Efavirenz Rules of Use

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dose for efavirenz for adults?

Dosage for adults with HIV infection

600 mg orally once a day

Adult dosage for people who have recently been exposed to the HIV virus (nonoccupational exposure)

WHO recommendation: 600 mg orally once a day

Duration of therapy: 28 days

Adult dose for people newly exposed to the HIV virus (occupational exposure)

WHO recommendation: 600 mg orally once a day

Duration of therapy: 28 days, if tolerated

What is the dose of efavirenz for children?

The usual dosage for children with HIV

Body weight 3.5 - 5 kg: 100 mg orally once a day
Body weight 5 - 7.5 kg: 150 mg orally once a day
Body weight 7.5-15 kg: 200 mg orally once a day
Body weight 15-20 kg: 250 mg orally once a day
Body weight 20-25 kg: 300 mg orally once a day
Body weight 25 - 32.5 kg: 350 mg orally once a day
Body weight 32.5 - 40 kg: 400 mg orally once a day
Body weight> 40 kg: 600 mg orally once a day

In what dosage is efavirenz available?

Evafirenz is available in the following dosages:

• tablet, orally: 600 mg
• capsule, oral: 50 mg, 200 mg

Efavirenz dosage

What side effects can I experience with efavirenz?

Call your doctor right away if you experience serious side effects, such as:

• severe allergic skin reactions
• fever
• sore throat
• swelling of the face or tongue
• the eyes burn hot
• pain in the skin accompanied by red blisters that spread (especially on the face and upper body)
• blistered and peeling skin.

Efavirenz can cause serious psychiatric symptoms, such as:

• confusion
• major depression
• suicidal thoughts
• more aggressive
• extreme fear
• hallucinations
• chest pain
• short breath
• the feeling of losing consciousness

Call your doctor if you have serious side effects, such as:

• nausea
• stomach cramps
• decreased appetite
• dark urine
• pale stool
• jaundice (eyes and skin turn yellow)
• fever
• chills
• body pain
• common cold symptoms
• signs of a new infection

Other more common side effects include:

• mild nausea, vomiting, or stomach cramps, diarrhea, or constipation
• coughs
• blurred vision
• headache, tiredness, dizziness, lightheadedness
• balance or coordination problems
• muscle or joint pain
• sleep disorders (insomnia)
• strange and absurd dreams
• changes in body shape (in the arms, legs, face, neck, chest, and waist)

Not everyone experiences the side effects mentioned above. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have concerns about certain side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Efavirenz side effects

What should be known before using efavirenz?

Before undergoing treatment with evafirenz there are several things you should know and do:

• Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have had a severe allergic reaction to evafirenz or other drugs
• Tell the herbal medicines you are taking.
• Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have had:
  • consuming very large amounts of alcohol
  • using narcotics
• Tell your doctor if you have or have had seizures, have a history of high cholesterol, depression or other mental disorders.
• Tell your doctor if you have a history of heart, liver, or pancreatic disease.
• While using this medicine you are not advised to plan a pregnancy, so you must first test for pregnancy before starting therapy.
• Use contraception during the therapy process. Consult your doctor which contraception is right.
• To be safer, use a condom when having sex.
• If you are pregnant in the middle of therapy, immediately consult a doctor because this can harm the fetus.
• Do not breastfeed if you have HIV infection or are on efavirenz therapy.
• Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you will be having surgery, including dental surgery.
• This medicine can make you quickly drowsy and have difficulty concentrating.
• This drug may have an impact on your psychological health, so consult your doctor immediately if you feel depression, hallucinations, and irritability.

Is efavirenz safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women?

Research shows that the use of this drug in mothers during pregnancy can threaten the safety of the fetus. However, in certain life-threatening cases, the risk factors that will arise during therapy may be worth the benefits.

This medicine goes inside pregnancy risk category D according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or equivalent to the POM in Indonesia. The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = Not at risk
• B = No risk in several studies
• C = May be risky
• D = There is positive evidence of risk
• X = Contraindicated
• N = Unknown

This drug is proven to pass through breast milk (ASI) so there is a chance that your baby will take this drug. If you want to use this drug, first consult your doctor.

Efavirenz Drug Warnings and Cautions

What medicines might interact with efavirenz?

Drug interactions can change the performance of your medications or increase the risk of serious side effects. Not all possible drug interactions are listed in this document. Keep and inform your doctor a list of all the products you are currently using and that have been discontinued (including prescription / nonprescription drugs and herbal products) during therapy. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any medication without your doctor's approval.

• artemether / lumefantrine, bupropion, rifabutin, sertraline, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
• astemizole (Hismanal)
• cisapride (Propulsid)
• ergot-type drugs such as bromocriptine (Parlodel)
• cabergoline (Dostinex)
• dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal)
• ergoloid mesylates (Germinal, Hydergine)
• ergonovine (Ergotrate)
• ergotamine (Bellergal-S, Cafergot, Ergomar, Wigraine)
• methylergonovine (Methergine)
• methysergide (Sansert)
• pergolide (Permax)
• midazolam (Versed)
• triazolam (Halcion)
• voriconazole (Vfend)
• antifungal medicines - itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole
• cholesterol-lowering drugs - atorvastatin (Lipitor), pravastatin, simvastatin (Zocor)
• heart disease or blood pressure medicines - diltiazem, felodipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, verapamil
• hepatitis C drugs - boceprevir, telaprevir
• immunosuppressant – cyclosporine, sirolimus, tacrolimus
• other HIV or AIDS medicines - atazanavir, indinavir, lopinavir / ritonavir, maraviroc, raltegravir, saquinavir; or
• seizure medication - carbamazepine, phenytoin

The above list is not an exhaustive list. Other drugs can also interact with efavirenz, including prescription / nonprescription drugs, vitamins, and herbal medicines. Not all interactions that may occur are listed in this article.

Can food or alcohol interact with efavirenz?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur.

Consumption of evafirenz coupled with certain types of food increases the risk of certain side effects, but in certain cases this risk can be avoided. Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your health care provider.

What health conditions can interact with efavirenz?

Any other health conditions you have can affect the use of this drug. Always tell your doctor if you have other health problems, especially:

• Alcohol and drug addiction
• Depression, history
• Mental disorders. May increase the risk of side effects that are psychiatric or related to mental health
• Hepatitis B or C
• Liver disease. Use it wisely. Efavirenz can cause this condition to worsen
• Seizures. Use it wisely. Efavirenz can cause more frequent convulsions

Efavirenz Drug Interactions

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (112) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Overdose symptoms include:

• uncontrollable motor movements
• dizzy
• headache
• nervous
• hard to concentrate
• confusion
• senile
• sleep disturbances (difficulty sleeping or frequent waking during sleep)
• sleepy fast
• hallucinations
• abnormal happy feelings

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.