What Are the Long-Term Side Effects of Atripla?

Atripla
is a popular medication, but like all drugs, comes with the possibility of side effects. The long-term side effects of Atripla could be serious and should always be reported to a physician by the user of the drugs.

What is Atripla Used For?

Atripla is currently approved by the U.S. FDA for treating HIV infections in adults and for those children who weigh at least 88 pounds. Atripla can be used alone or in conjunction with other HIV medicines as a treatment.

Atripla is made up of three different medicines: Efavirenz, Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and emtricitabine. Taking this medication, either by itself or with other drugs, can help those patients with HIV to live healthier and longer lives overall, even though they cannot cure HIV.

What Are Some of the Common Atripla Side Effects?

Many of the side effects reported by users of Atripla are mild and do not cause severe issues. However, some of the side effects can be more serious and require immediate medical attention.

Trouble sleeping, dizziness, and unusual dreams are some of the less serious side effects reported by Atripla users. These side effects can begin as soon as just a few days after beginning the Atripla treatment regimen. However, some other concerns can be associated with long term side effects of Atripla.

According to WebMD, some of the more severe side effects of the HIV drug can include sudden weight loss, joint pain, muscle aches, extreme tiredness, vision changes, signs of infection, and more. The drug also has the potential to negatively interact with other medicines the patient might be taking, says positivelyaware.com, so any users should be honest about their current medicine and supplement use when getting a prescription for Atripla.

What is Lactic Acidosis?

One of the most serious side effects for this medication is the buildup of lactic acid in the blood. When this condition gets to an extreme level, it could become life-threatening.

Some of the most common signs of lactic acidosis include tiredness or weakness, unusual muscle pain, difficulty breathing, feeling cold, irregular heartbeat, and stomach pain with vomiting.

Can Atripla Cause Liver Issues?

Another concern with the long-term use of Atripla is the development of liver problems. These can be existing liver issues that get worse or the development of new liver conditions. Some of the most common symptoms of liver conditions are dark-colored urine, yellowing of the skin, loss of appetite for several days, light-colored bowel movements, pain in the stomach, and nausea.

Does Atripla Cause Kidney or Bone Problems?

More patients who have used Atripla over the long run are among a group arguing that they were never warned about possible long term side effects of the HIV drug.

In one month, over 50 patients filed legal action against Gilead, arguing that the company promoted antiretroviral drugs with side effects like major bone fractures and chronic kidney disease. According to medshadow.org, the patients say that along with Atripla, drugs like Complera, Virea, and Truvada all came with substantial risk and that the manufacturer had the potential to put safer HIV medications on the market and chose not to.