Side Effects And Risks
Biktarvy and Genvoya both contain emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide. Both medications also contain a type of drug called an integrase inhibitor. Therefore, these medications can cause some similar side effects, but some different ones, as well. Below are examples of these side effects.
Mild side effects
These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with either Biktarvy or Genvoya, as well as mild side effects that both drugs may share.
- Can occur with Biktarvy:
is the most serious warning from the FDA. See FDA warning at the beginning of this article for more information.
What Is The Antiviral Drug Ribavirin
Ribavirin, also known as tribavirin, is an antiviral medication used to treat RSV infection, hepatitis C and some viral hemorrhagic fevers. For hepatitis C, it is used in combination with other medications such as simeprevir, sofosbuvir, peginterferon alfa-2b or peginterferon alfa-2a.
What class drug is lamivudine?
Lamivudine is in a class of medications called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors . It works by decreasing the amount of HIV and hepatitis B in the blood.
Who is the maker of Dovato? In the spring of 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the complete regimen combo pill Dovato , manufactured by ViiV Healthcare, giving clinicians for the first time a two-drug option to treat individuals just beginning HIV treatment.
How much does Zolgensma cost? 1) Zolgensma $2,125,000
Since Zolgensma received FDA approval in May 2019, it has remained the most expensive drug in the U.S., with a one-time cost of $2.1 million for a course of treatment.
What About Finasteride Side Effects
Like almost all medications, finasteride can cause side effects. Most of the adverse effects of finasteride are mild, although some may have an impact on your quality of life.
Potential side effects of finasteride include:
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Inability to get or maintain an erection
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Pain or discomfort that affects the testicles
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Problems related to ejaculation, such as decreased ejaculatory volume
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Changes in mood or depression
Although its uncommon in the low-strength version of finasteride thats used to treat hair loss, some men who use Proscar, a stronger version of finasteride for BPH, also report side effects such as breast tenderness and skin rashes.
Sexual side effects, such as erectile dysfunction, difficulty ejaculating and a weaker sex drive, can sound alarming.
However, its important to look at these side effects in context before you write off finasteride as a hair loss treatment.
Even in studies of Proscar, a high-strength 5mg version of finasteride, only a small percentage of men report these side effects.
For example, in clinical trials of finasteride for BPH, just over eight percent of men reported an effect on their erections, with 6.4 percent and 3.7 percent of men reporting decreases in libido and a reduced ejaculation volume, respectively.
Other finasteride side effects, such as breast tenderness and rash, were reported by less than one percent of men who used finasteride in clinical trials.
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Rise In Lipid Levels With Taf
There are a number of studies showing that TDF-containing regimens oftentimes improve lipid levels by decreasing total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while TAF-containing regimens increase these levels. Higher levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol can promote plaque buildup in arteries, which can lead to coronary artery disease, stroke and other health problems.
In the DISCOVER study, which compared Descovy to Truvada for PrEP, triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels increased at 48 weeks for people taking Descovy compared to no change or a decrease in people taking Truvada. Decreases were seen in total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol .
Other studies have compared the lipid levels of people living with HIV taking TAF-containing or TDF-containing treatment regimens or switching from a TDF-containing regimen to a TAF-containing regimen.
Anobservational study conducted in Spain compared the lipid profiles of people on Genvoya or Stribild for HIV treatment over 48 weeks.
Lipid levels increased from baseline among people taking Genvoya while remaining stable among people taking Stribild after 48 weeks of treatment. A higher percentage of people taking Stribild also had total cholesterol levels and LDL levels out of range after 48 weeks of treatment. Six people in the study discontinued Genvoya due to changes in lipid levels, and lipid levels returned to normal levels after returning to treatment that included TDF.
How Does Finasteride For Hair Loss Treatment Work
Finasteride belongs to a class of medications called 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, or 5-ARIs. It works by inhibiting the action of the 5 alpha-reductase enzyme, which is involved in converting testosterone into the hormone dihydrotestosterone .
DHT plays a central role in male pattern baldness. If youre genetically prone to hair loss, DHT can bind to receptors in your hair follicles and cause them to miniaturize, resulting in a gradual loss of hair around your hairline, crown or across your scalp.
Our guide to DHT and male hair loss discusses the effects of DHT on your hair follicles in more detail.
Research shows that a typical dose of finasteride lowers serum DHT levels by more than 70 percent.
This can result in your hair loss slowing, or even stopping completely. Many men even notice a significant degree of hair regrowth in areas of the scalp affected by male pattern baldness after starting treatment with finasteride.
So, does finasteride produce results? For most men, absolutely. Numerous studies have found that finasteride can slow down or stop hair loss from male pattern baldness, and even stimulate hair growth.
In one study involving two one-year clinical trials, researchers found that finasteride produced a more than 15 percent increase in hair count at the vertex scalp in men with male pattern baldness.
In short, finasteride works, with most men experiencing improvements in their hair growth and density with treatment.
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Financial And Insurance Assistance
If you need financial support to pay for Biktarvy or help understanding your insurance coverage, assistance is available.
Gilead Sciences Inc., the manufacturer of Biktarvy, offers a program called Gilead Advancing Access. This provides ways to help lower the cost of the drug. For more information and to find out if youre eligible, call 800-226-2056 or visit the programs website.
How Long Do I Need To Be On Prep
Talk with your doctor about your personal circumstances. There are several reasons that people stop taking PrEP:
- If your risk of getting HIV infections becomes low because of changes that occur in your life.
- You dont want to take medication every day or often forget to take your medication other ways of protecting yourself from HIV infection may work better for you.
- You have side effects from the medication that are interfering with your life.
- Blood tests show your body is reacting to PrEP medication in unsafe ways. Your doctor may decide there are other options for you.
Talk with your doctor if you are having trouble remembering to take your medication or if you want to stop PrEP.
It is important to make sure that you continue taking PrEP for 28 days after your last potential exposure to HIV before ceasing it.
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Unable To Regrow Lost Hair
During chemotherapy, hair loss goes far beyond losing the hair on your head. You can also lose vital hair. Understanding that your eyelashes play an important role in eye safety, its worrisome when you lose them. Additionally, you can lose your eyebrows and even the hair on the inner ears leading to deafness.
Being unable to regrow hair isnt solved with a wig. Youre looking at the grave possibility of the loss of a sense, or loss of vital protection from foreign objects. Not only is it from foreign objects, but weather changes and such as well. Your eyelashes protect your sensitive eyes from rain, wind, dirt, and even moisture. So when youre looking at the possibility of never having eyelashes again, it becomes a serious concern.
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Besides Taking Biktarvy How Else Can I Prevent Passing Hiv To Others
HIV can pass to others in blood, semen, and breast milk, as well as in vaginal and rectal fluids. You can prevent HIV from passing to others by:
- using condoms every time you engage in sexual activity
- choosing sexual activities, such as oral sex, that are less likely to transmit HIV than anal or vaginal sex
- getting regularly tested and treated for other sexually transmitted infections
- not sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injecting equipment with others
- not breastfeeding
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
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Side Effect : Kidney Health
While uncommon, PrEP can also affect your kidney health so your doctor will examine your kidneys at the time of starting PrEP.
If you take gym and exercise supplements with creatine they may interfere with your kidney function test, by showing what looks like high levels of creatinine. This, however, is artificial and not a true indication your kidney health. If you are taking any supplements, you should inform your doctor.
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Biktarvy: How It Works
Biktarvy is used to treat HIV in certain situations. For more information about how the drug is used, see the section above.
HIV is a virus that attacks certain white blood cells. Without these cells, youre more likely to have a serious, life threatening infection.
The goal of HIV treatment is to lower the amount of HIV in your blood to a level that cant be detected with lab tests. Having a very low level of the virus means the risk of passing it to someone else is extremely low.
Biktarvy belongs to a drug class called antiretrovirals. It works to treat HIV by stopping the virus from making copies of itself, lowering the amount of HIV in your blood.
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Darunavir Has A High Barrier To Drug Resistance
SYMTUZA® contains darunavir, which can help you keep fighting HIV with its high barrier to HIV drug resistance. Darunavir can help stop HIV from replicating. This is why treatments containing darunavir are recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services Guidelines when treatment is started immediately after an HIV diagnosis.
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Higher Weight Gain With Taf
When used by people who are HIV-negative for PrEP, Descovy may cause a small amount of weight gainor at least may not prevent normal weight gain as happens with Truvada. This is the case for cisgender men and possibly trans women .
On average, cis men and trans women who participated in the DISCOVER study of Descovy for PrEP gained 1 kg after taking medication for 48 weeks. People taking Truvada lost a small amount of weight at weeks 12 and 24, and then returned to baseline weight at weeks 36 and 48.
In themetabolic sub-study of the iPrEx study, cis men and trans women taking Truvada for PrEP experienced weight loss after 24 weeks, with weight increases at later visits similar to that of placebo. The average total weight loss among people taking Truvada compared to people taking placebo was -0.8% at week 24. By week 96, the median weight of people taking Truvada was not significantly different from placebo.
Modest weight gain is expected in people during adulthood. Because people taking Truvada decreased their weight by -0.1% at week 24 in the iPrEx study, and showed less weight gain than people taking placebo at weeks 48 and 72, Truvada may initially prevent normal weight gain but, according to this study, this effect may fade with long-term use.
Mean change in weight to Week 96: men
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Is Biktarvy Used For Pre
Most likely, no. Biktarvy is not approved for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis or post-exposure prophylaxis .
Both PrEP and PEP involve the use of an antiretroviral drug to help prevent HIV. However, Biktarvy treats HIV in people who already have the condition.
PrEP is typically used long term and before exposure to HIV. PEP is typically used short term and after exposure to HIV.
Only three medications are currently FDA-approved for PrEP. These include:
- emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
- emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide
- cabotegravir
For PEP, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using Truvada in combination with certain other HIV drugs. This includes dolutegravir and raltegravir .
No other medications are currently recommended for PrEP or PEP. It isnt known if Biktarvy is effective for these uses, so the drug isnt likely to be used off-label for PrEP or PEP.
If youd like to know more about PrEP or PEP, talk with your doctor.
Can Dovato Be Used For Prep
No, the Food and Drug Administration hasnt approved Dovato to be used as PrEP. This stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. PrEP is the use of a drug to prevent someone at high risk for HIV from contracting it. People considered to be high risk include those who share needles or have sex without a condom or other barrier method.
At this time, only two medications are FDA-approved as PrEP:
- emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
- emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide
If you think PrEP might be helpful to you, talk with your doctor about which medication might be best.
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More Common Side Effects Of Biktarvy
Biktarvy can cause certain side effects, some of which are more common than others. These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days or weeks. But if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
These are just a few of the more common side effects reported by people who took Biktarvy in clinical trials:
- diarrhea
These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days or weeks. But if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Note: After the Food and Drug Administration approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. If you develop a side effect while taking Biktarvy and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch.
How To Take This Medication
Always follow the prescription once you start your treatment with Biktarvy. A leaflet is also available with the product that you can follow for the full duration of your therapy.
You can consume this medicine with or without your meals. However, it is advisable to take it with food to avoid stomachaches. Always drink water after taking it.
For pediatrics who cannot swallow one full dose, you can split the tablet into two and have them consume it separately within ten minutes interval.
During your treatment with Biktarvy, it is easier to set the alarm or any tool that will remind you of your dose for the day. Doing so will prevent you from skipping a dose.
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