HIV/AIDS drugs and side effects

More information on HIV/AIDS drugs and side effects

Even though HIV drugs can help you stay healthy, you can get side effects from the drugs. Some are bothersome, but go away with time. Others are ongoing, and hard to cope with. In rare cases, these side effects can be very dangerous. Ask your doctor which side effects are the dangerous ones that you should call the doctor about right away. It is more likely that you will experience just typical side effects, which include:

Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Weakness
Dizziness
Tiredness
Headache
Rash
Fever

Other side effects appear over the long term and can be life-threatening. Ask your doctor what other problems you need to be tested for. Some of these include:

Side effects of HIV/AIDS drugs
Effect of treatment	Symptoms and other problems	Other information about risks and what you can do
Liver damage	Nausea Vomiting Diarrhea Loss of appetite Pain in abdomen Changes in skin color Tiredness	You can have more problems with liver damage if you also have hepatitis B or C, use alcohol, or are pregnant.
High blood sugar and diabetes	Extreme thirst Urinating often Weight loss High blood sugar increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States.	You can: Have a healthy diet Exercise Not smoke Take medicine to lower your blood sugar
High blood fat (lipid) levels	High levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, which are types of blood lipids (fats), can lead to heart disease and inflammation of your pancreas. Your doctor will test your lipid levels.	You can: Lose weight Eat well Take a medication for high blood pressure or cholesterol
Body fat changes	You lose fat in some parts of your body, such as the arms, legs, face, and bottom. You build up fat in the belly, breasts, and back of the neck.	You can: Exercise more to build up muscle and get rid of fat buildup. Try a new drug called tesamorelin (Egrifta). It reduces belly fat in people who have problems with body fat changes from HIV therapy. Talk to your doctor about changing medication.
Bone loss (osteoporosis) or lower bone density (osteopenia)	A broken bone , or no symptoms	Other risk factors: Being a woman Smoking Being overweight Not exercising Learn more about preventing bone problems such as through physical activity and eating foods that are good for bone health.
High levels of lactate in the blood (lactic acidosis)	Nausea Vomiting Stomach pain that doesn't stop Fatigue for no reason Shortness of breath Cold or blue hands and feet Weight loss	Other risk factors: Being a woman Being overweight Pregnancy Lactic acidosis is rare, but if you are taking HIV drugs and start to have these symptoms, call your doctor right away.
Nerve problems in your hands or feet	Burning Pain Numbness	Talk to your doctor to find out if you need to change treatment.
Cardiovascular problems (stroke, heart disease)	High blood pressure High cholesterol High blood sugar	You can: Eat well Exercise Not smoke Talk to your doctor about your HIV medications
Kidney problems	Early kidney disease has no symptoms. Ask your doctor if you need kidney function tests.	Other risk factors: High blood pressure Diabetes Pre-existing decrease in kidney function Use of other medications that also strain the kidneys
Skin rashes	Mild to moderate rash Can appear a few weeks after starting a new medicine Rarely can have a severe rash which also gives you ulcers in your mouth	You can: Talk to your doctor to make sure your rash is normal. In rare cases, it can be life-threatening.

HIV treatment can be hard because of side effects. Before you start taking HIV drugs, talk to your doctor about what side effects you may have, ways to feel better, if/when they will go away, how long they'll last, and when you should call your doctor. Even though you have side effects from the drugs, it's important to take your medicines exactly how and when you're told to and to let your doctor know about any symptoms. Side effects that may seem minor, such as fever, nausea, and fatigue, can mean there are serious problems in your treatment. So tell your doctor about all side effects and ask what is the best way to manage them.

Side effects may be different in women

You may find that the side effects you're having from the medicines are not the same as what other people experience. This is especially true if you ask a man. Women take the same doses of HIV drugs as men. But women have smaller body sizes, higher body fat, and different hormones than men do. Some researchers think these factors affect how women respond to the medicines. They may cause different side effects in women. For example, ritonavir (Norvir, RTV) causes more nausea and vomiting in women, but less diarrhea than in men. Some studies show that women are more likely to get rashes, fat buildup, and problems with the pancreas and liver. But before recommended doses can change, more studies need to be done in women. Research will help us to better understand how to keep drugs working but with fewer side effects. Never change the dose of your medicine on your own. If you are having problems with side effects, talk to your doctor.

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More information on HIV/AIDS drugs and side effects

Explore other publications and websites

AIDSinfo Drug Database — This database provides fact sheets on approved and investigational HIV/AIDS-related drugs. The fact sheets describe the drugs' use, pharmacology, side effects, and other information.
http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/DrugsNew/Default.aspx?MenuItem=Drugs
Antiretroviral Drugs Used in the Treatment of HIV Infection — This publication lists antiretroviral drugs by brand name and provides their generic name, manufacturer, and FDA approval date.
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/byAudience/ForPatientAdvocates/HIVandAIDSActivities/ucm118915.htm
Approved Antiretroviral Drugs for Pediatric Treatment of HIV Infection — This publication lists antiretroviral drugs for use in children infected with HIV. The list includes each drug’s brand name, generic name, manufacturer, and FDA approval date.
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForPatientAdvocates/HIVandAIDSActivities/ucm118951.htm
Approved Medications to Treat HIV Infection — This list gives information on medications approved to treat HIV infection such as how they work, generic and brand names, as well as approval date.
http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/contentfiles/ApprovedMedstoTreatHIV_FS_en.pdf
Approved Therapies for the Treatment of Complications of HIV/AIDS — This publication lists the brand names, generic names, uses, manufacturers, and approval dates for various drugs used to treat complications of HIV/AIDS.
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForPatientAdvocates/HIVandAIDSActivities/ucm118949.htm
Side Effects (Copyright © AIDS InfoNet) — This publication describes some of the most common side effects of HIV medicines and provides tips for dealing with side effects.
http://www.aidsinfonet.org/fact_sheets/view/550

Connect with other organizations

AIDS InfoNet
http://www.aidsinfonet.org/index.php
AIDS.gov
http://www.aids.gov/
AIDSinfo
http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/
AVERT
http://www.avert.org/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS
http://www.cdc.gov/
Division of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, NIAID, NIH, HHS
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/organization/daids/Pages/default.aspx
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/Pages/default.aspx
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
http://www.fda.gov/
Women Alive
http://www.women-alive.org

Content last updated July 1, 2011.

Resources last updated July 1, 2011.

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