Precautions and warnings

If you have mild to moderate liver disease or kidney problems, use this medicine with caution. Have your doctor regularly check your liver enzymes and cholesterol levels. Stop taking this medication if you develop a severe skin rash, fever, or if you have known or suspected hepatitis B or other infections. Be careful if you have a history of mental illness, seizures, or if you are elderly, pregnant, or a child.

Drug Interactions

Hormonal contraceptives; certain antibiotics like rifampicin, rifabutin, and clarithromycin; and drugs that increase enzyme activity can interact with this medication. St. John’s wort can lower the amount of the drug in your blood. Alcohol can increase the risk of liver and nervous system side effects.

Warning: This medicine can cause life-threatening side effects if taken with terfenadine, astemizole, cisapride, midazolam, triazolam, or ergot alkaloids.

Contraindications

Severe hepatic impairment; hypersensitivity; lactation.

Mode of actions

Efavirenz is a medicine used to fight HIV. It works by blocking an enzyme that the virus needs to make copies of itself, which helps stop HIV from multiplying in the body.

Dosage & Administration

Oral
HIV infection
Adult: Combined with other antiretrovirals: 600 mg once daily. Dosing at bedtime recommended during 1st 2-4 wk of therapy to improve tolerability.

Child: Combined with other antiretrovirals: >3 yr, 10-14 kg: 200 mg; 15-19 kg: 250 mg; 20-24 kg: 300 mg; 25-32.4 kg: 350 mg; 32.5-39 kg: 400 mg; ?40 kg: 600 mg. To be taken once daily.

Pregnancy & Lactation

This medicine is not allowed during pregnancy. Do not use it if you are pregnant. It can be absorbed through the skin and lungs caused can damage your unborn child’s organs and cause congenital disabilities. Strict effective birth control during treatment and for six months after stopping this medicine. If you do become pregnant, stop taking this medicine and discuss your doctor right away.

There is no specific information on whether this medicine passes into breast milk or not. Considering the possible risks for the children, breastfeeding while using this medicine is not recommended and at least two weeks after the last dose. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Pack Size & Price