Vivid dreams, anxiety, rash, nausea, dizziness, diarrhea,
headache and insomnia
Nevirapine
(Viramune®)
1 (200 mg; 1, 1x/day for the first two weeks) then 2
(200 mg: 1, 2x/day)
No food restrictions.
Skin rash, fever, headache, nausea.
**NNRTI's are metabolized by the liver, as are many other
commonly used drugs. Drug interactions can cause large increases or decreases
in the blood levels of drugs you are taking, leading to under-doses that are
ineffective, or overdoses that can be fatal. Make sure your physician knows
about all medications you are taking.
3. PROTEASE INHIBITORS
DRUG
DAILY PILLS
(Adults)*
HOW TO TAKE
& STORE
SIDE EFFECTS
NOTES
Amprenavir
(Agenerase®)
16 (150 mg: 8, 2x/day); also approved in
combinations with ritonavir
Take with or without food. Avoid high-fat foods. Don't
take within 1 hour of antacids.
Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, numbness around mouth,
abdominal pain
Serious interactions with many other drugs.**
Atazanavir
(Reyataz®)
2 (200 mg: 2, once a day)day for patients new to
antiviral therapy) or 3 (150 mg; 2, plus 1 100 mg ritonavir, once a day)
Take with food.
High levels of bilirubin. Nausea, headache, rash, stomach
pain, vomiting, diarrhea, tingling in hands or feet, and depression. Changes
in heart rhythm.
Fosamprenavir
(Lexiva®)
4 (700 mg; 2, twice a day) or 4 (700 mg, 2 +
2 ritonavir, once a day; or 700 mg, 1 + 1 ritonavir twice a day)
No food restrictions.
Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, numbness around mouth,
abdominal pain.
Indinavir
(Crixivan®)
6 (400 mg: 2, every 8 hours, not 3x/day) or 9
(333 mg; 3 every 8 hours)
Take with lots of water, on empty stomach or with low-fat
snack. Keep cool and dry.
Headache, nausea, abdominal pain, kidney stones.
Lopinavir/ritonavir
(Kaletra®)
4 (200 mg lopinavir + 50 mg ritonavir: 2, 2x/day)
No food restrictions for tablets; take liquid with food.
Keep at room temperature.
Diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, headache
Nelfinavir
(Viracept®)
9 (250 mg: 3, 3x/day) or 10 (5, 2x/day or 4
(625 mg; 2, 2x/day)
Take with meals or a snack.
Diarrhea, nausea, gas, abdominal pain, weakness.
Ritonavir (Norvir®)
12 (100 mg: 6, 2x/day); small doses used to boost
other protease inhibitors
Take with food if possible. Keep refrigerated. Take 2
hours apart from ddI.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tingling & numbness around
the mouth.
Saquinavir
(Invirase®)
6(500 mg: 2 + 1-100mg ritonavir, 2x/day)
Take within two hours of a full meal or large snack. In
hot climates, keep refrigerated.
Minimal nausea, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort.
Tipranavir
(Aptivus®)
8 (250 mg, 2 + 2 ritonavir, twice a day)
Take with food. Refrigerate, or keep at room temperature
up to 60 days.
Diarrhea, rash, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, tiredness
and headache. Worsening of liver problems.
4. FUSION INHIBITOR
DRUG
DAILY DOSE
(Adults)
HOW TO TAKE
& STORE
SIDE EFFECTS
NOTES
Enfuvirtide (Fuzeon®)
2 injections each day. 90 mg per injection for
adults.
No food restrictions.
Skin reactions where drug is injected, ranging from
redness and itching to hard lumps.
*These pill counts reflect the "normal" use of each
drug. However, doctors are now combining antiviral medications in new ways.
Doses of each drug may be higher or lower in these new combinations.
**Protease inhibitors are metabolized by the liver, as are many
other commonly used drugs. Drug interactions can cause large increases or
decreases in the blood levels of drugs you are taking, leading to under-doses
that are ineffective, or overdoses that can be fatal. Make sure your physician
knows about all medications you are taking.
AIDS Factsheet 
