emtricitabine tenofovir

Sold under the brand name Truvada, Emtricitabine/tenofovir was approved for medical use in 2004. It is a fixed-dose combination of two antiretroviral medications, and is used to treat and prevent HIV/AIDS. Basically, both medicines interfere with an enzyme called reverse transcriptase, which is used by HIV-infected cells to make new viruses. Since this combination of Emtricitabine/tenofovir reduces the activity of reverse transcriptase, it causes HIV-infected cells to slow down or stop producing new viruses. Bear in mind that Emtricitabine/tenofovir can cause headache, tiredness, trouble sleeping, abdominal pain, weight loss, and rash. This combination also has other side effects that are a tad more serious, including high blood lactate levels and enlargement of the liver. However, the use of this medication during pregnancy does not appear to harm the baby, even though it has not been well studied.