ee-FAV-eer-enz
- Efavirenz (tradenames Sustiva or Stocrin in some other European countries) is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI).
- Standard adult dose: 1 x 600 mg tablet, once-daily.
- Side effects: sleep disturbance (including nightmares), mood changes (including anxiety and depression), rash, liver toxicity and lipid changes. Taking at night on an empty stomach can help reduce side effects.
- Other notes: not recommended during pregnancy or for women trying for a baby
- Efavirenz is widely used with either Truvada or Kivexa in first-line combinations.
- Efavirenz is included with tenofovir and FTC in the fixed dose combintion Atripla.
Further information
Information on efavirenz side effects from the i-Base side effects guide.
The European patient information and detailed Product Information for efavirenz are available in PDF format from this link at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) website.
The Patient Information is a simplified summary: what the drug is, why it is used, results from studies and cautions including side effects.
The Product Information is a detailed technical summary that you can access as a PDF file by clicking the ‘Product Information’ tab. It describes more precisely how the drug works and how it is processed by your body. This includes, for example, reported food interaction studies in terms of calories or fat content. It includes more details of the study results and a full list of side effects and drug interactions.