What Medicines are Recommended for Starting HIV Treatment?

This week flew by quickly.  I'm starting a new fellowship to reduce HIV in African Americans, and I'm very excited about it.  I will be telling you about it in weeks to come.  It's with The Black AIDS Institute.  What a great organization!

I wrote about when to start HIV medications earlier in the week.  Today I want to tell you which medications to start.  Actually, these are the recommendations from HIV experts working with the Department of Health and Human Services, and they were just updated.

Here are the suggested regimens for treatment-naive people with HIV, which means no previous HIV medications.

• Atripla, a one pill a day combination of efavirenz/tenofovir/emtricitabine
• Reyataz (atazanavir), boosted with Norvir (ritonavir) and Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine)
• Prezista (darunavir), boosted with Norvir (ritonavir) and Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine)
• Isentress (raltegravir) and Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine)

Only four regimens are preferred.  Does not mean that other combinations cannot be used?  No, and some other regimens are considered alternative or acceptable regimens.  In some instances, a different regimen might be the best one for you.

How does your doctor find the best regimen for you?  First of all, he or she should talk it over with you and find out what's most important to you.  For instance, some people prefer to take a single pill, and this would narrow down your choices immediately.  For others, the ability to take all of their medications once a day is important.  Your provider will also consider your other medications and the possibility for interactions, other health conditions, and your resistance test results.

Have a great weekend, y'all!
Yours,
Bill