Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)
NRTIs are faulty versions of building blocks that HIV needs to make more copies of itself. When HIV uses an NRTI instead of a normal building block, reproduction of the virus is stalled.
Long term side effects of NRTIs have been associated with damage to the mitochondria (the cell parts that provide energy to the cell). This damage may cause low red and white blood cell counts, muscle pain and wasting (particularly in the arms and legs), fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, and more rarely, serious liver (lactic acidosis) or pancreas problems.
Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)
| Drug | Dosage | Side Effects |
| Retrovir / AZT | One 300 mg tablet daily. | Nausea, stomach discomfort, headache, insomnia, muscle wasting, anemia, neutropenia (low white blood cell count). Medicine should be taken with food to reduce the stomach discomfort. |
| Epivir / 3TC | One 300 mg tablet daily. | Nausea Epivir is also taken for treatment of Hepatitis B virus, but with a different dosage. |
| Combivir / AZT + 3TC | One tablet (300 mg AZT + 150 mg 3TC). | Nausea, vomiting, headache, loss of appetite, fatigue, stomach discomfort, Muscle wasting, anemia (low blood cell count), neutropenia (low white blood cell count). |
| Trizivir / AZT + 3TC + Abacavir | One tablet (300 mg AZT + 150 mg 3TC + 300 mg Abacavir) twice daily. | Nausea, stomach discomfort, headache, insomnia, muscle wasting, anemia, neutropenia (low white blood cell count). |
| Ziagen / Abacavir | One 300 mg tablet twice daily. | Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, insomnia, serious allergic reactions in 3-5% of patients with one death. The signs include - fever, mailaise, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, and rash. |
| Videx / ddl | Numbness, lingling, or pain in the hands or feet, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and rash, Pancreatitis (inflammation of pancreas) | |
| Zeritt / d4T | One 40 mg capsule, every 12 hours. | Numbness, tingling, or pain in the hands or feet, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, rash, Pancreatitis, lactic acidosis. |
| HIVid / ddC | 0.75 mg tablet, every 8 hours. | Numbness, tingling, or pain in the hands or feet, nausea, vomiting, mouth ulcers. Drug is to be taken in empty stomach. |
| Viread / tenofovir | One 300 mg tablet once a day. | Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, intestinal gas. |
| Emtriva / Emtricitabine | One 200 mg tablet daily. | Headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash. |
Fusion Inhibitors prevent HIV entry into cells.
| Drug | Dosage | Side Effects |
| Fuzeon / T-20 | Two 90 mg subcutaneous injections per day. | Skin reactions at the site of injection - itching, swelling, redness, pain or tenderness, hardened skin or bumps. |
