Question
Can Truvada affect my kidneys?
19 January 2019. Related: All topics, Side effects.
I have been prescribed Truvada, is it true that it could effect my kidneys?
Answer
Truvada is the brandname for a medication that includes two different HIV drugs: tenofovir DF (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC). It is widely used for both HIV treatment and as PrEP for HIV prevention. There are also several generic versions of this drug (that have different brand names).
A newer version TDF called tenovovir alafenamide (TAF) is also now available.
Most HIV drugs are processed by your liver – where the concern would be for liver toxicity, but tenofovir is processed by the kidneys, so this is the organ that is monitored more closely if you are using this drug.
When you start a combination that includes tenofovir DF, you should be monitored every month for the first year. In practice, even though this is in the European recommendations, most clinics cut back monitoring to every three months after the first few months.
More details on this are included in European recommendations.
Many studies have also shown that tenofovir DF is one of the most effective drugs in first-line combinations, and that it is also effective in some treatment experienced people.
If you are using other drugs processed by the kidneys, then tenofovir DF should be used with more caution, and it should not be used with the HIV drug ddI. There are also recommendations for dose adjustments (reductions) in people with existing kidney disease.
Also, a newer version of tenofovir DF is called TAF (tenofovir alafenamide). This newer version looks to have much less risk of kidney toxicity and is recommended then tenofovir DF can not be used.
This question from October 2006 was last updated in January 2019.
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