Question
Which HAART regimen is best when starting treatment?
1 April 2008. Related: All topics, Side effects, Starting treatment.
Is Kaletra/Truvada as effective as Sustiva/Truvada for starting ARV treatment? What about side effects? Which is a better choice?
Answer
Thank you for your questions. As you might be aware, every individual reacts differently to different drugs. The recommendation is that HIV treatment is individualized for each patient in order to achieve the best results in terms of adherence, tolerability and effectiveness. However, the BHIVA (British HIV Association) guidelines recommend that efavirenz (Sustiva) and Truvada (tenofovir+FTC) should be considered as first line for all patients.
The major side-effects with Sustiva have to do with sleep disturbances which include vivid dreams or nightmares, disorientation and mood disturbances. More information on this is here. The main side-effects for Kaletra are diarrhoea, abdominal pain, raised liver enzymes, tiredness and increased triglycerides. Kaletra is also taken twice a day and Sustiva is once a day.
In terms of efficacy, the two combinations are relatively similar. The recommendations by the BHIVA guidelines are based on evidence from clinical trails, and include efficacy, side effects, convenience and pill count etc.
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