Generic Name: emtricitabine
Pronunciation: em-TREE-va
Abbreviation: FTC
Drug Class: Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)
Company: Gilead Sciences
Approval Status: Approved
Generic Version Available: No
Drug Indication
A component of many recommended and alternative treatment regimens for antiretroviral-naive people living with HIV, as indicated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents. Visit https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines/html/1/adult-and-adolescent-arv-guidelines/0 for the full DHHS guidelines.
General Info
Emtriva is an HIV medication. It is in a category of HIV medicines called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Emtriva was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use by people living with HIV in 2003. Emtriva, as a component of Truvada, was approved for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV among those at high risk in July 2012.
Emtriva is available as a single drug or in the fixed-dose combination drugs Atripla, Complera, Genvoya, Stribild and Truvada.
Emtriva must be used in combination with other HIV drugs.
Dosage
Adult Dose: One 200mg capsule once a day.
Pediatric Dose: Age 3 months to 17 years: Dosing based on weight but should not exceed adult daily dose.
Dosing Info: Take with or without food.
Side Effects
The most common side effects caused by drug regimens containing Emtriva are headache, diarrhea, and nausea.
If you have hepatitis B and HIV and plan to stop taking Emtriva, you need close medical follow-up and for several months and your doctor might want to frequently check your liver enzymes after stopping treatment. This is because Emtriva is also active against the hepatitis B virus (HBV). If Emtriva is stopped abruptly, it can cause liver disease to “flare” and damage the liver
Drug Interactions
For a review of drug interactions, including prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements that should not be taken with Emtriva or may require dose adjustments, consult the Emtriva package insert: http://www.gilead.com/~/media/Files/pdfs/medicines/hiv/emtriva/emtriva_pi.pdf
Other Info
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease or liver disease. In addition, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, if you are breastfeeding, and all your medical conditions, including all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you are taking.
For More Info: http://www.gilead.com/~/media/Files/pdfs/medicines/hiv/emtriva/emtriva_pi.pdf
Co-Pay Program Info: https://www.poz.com/basics/hiv-basics/drug-assistance-programs
Patient Assistance Program Info: https://www.poz.com/basics/hiv-basics/drug-assistance-programs
Last Reviewed: July 15, 2016
