Uses
This product is used to help control HIV infection. It helps to decrease the amount of HIV in your body so your immune system can work better. This lowers your chance of getting HIV complications (such as new infections, cancer) and improves your quality of life. This product contains 4 different medications: darunavir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide. Darunavir is known as a protease inhibitor. Cobicistat helps darunavir work better. Emtricitabine is called a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, while tenofovir alafenamide is called a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor; both kinds of drugs are often called NRTIs.
Darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide is not a cure for HIV infection. To decrease your risk of spreading HIV disease to others, continue to take all HIV medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Use an effective barrier method (latex or polyurethane condoms/dental dams) during sexual activity as directed by your doctor. Do not share personal items (such as needles/syringes, toothbrushes, and razors) that may have contacted blood or other body fluids. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
How To Use
Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start taking this medication and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Take this medication by mouth with food as directed by your doctor, usually once daily. If you have trouble swallowing this medication whole, you may split the tablet with a tablet cutter before taking it. Take each part of the split tablet right away.
It is very important to continue taking this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not skip any doses.
For the best effect, take this medication at evenly spaced times. To help you remember, take this medication at the same time every day.
Do not take more or less of this drug than prescribed or stop taking it even for a short time unless directed to do so by your doctor. Doing so may cause the amount of virus to increase, make the infection more difficult to treat (resistant), or worsen side effects.
Side Effects
Diarrhea, nausea, headache, or tiredness may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Remember that this medication has been prescribed because your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.
As your immune system gets stronger, it can begin to fight off infections you already had, possibly causing disease symptoms to come back. You could also have symptoms if your immune system becomes overactive. This reaction may happen at any time (soon after starting HIV treatment or many months later). Get medical help right away if you have any serious symptoms, including:
- unexplained weight loss
- severe tiredness
- muscle aches/weakness that doesn't go away
- headaches that are severe or don't go away
- joint pain
- numbness/tingling of the hands/feet/arms/legs
- vision changes
- signs of infection (such as fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, trouble breathing, cough, non-healing skin sores)
- signs of an overactive thyroid (such as irritability, nervousness, heat intolerance, fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat, bulging eyes, unusual growth in the neck/thyroid known as a goiter)
- signs of a certain nerve problem known as Guillain-Barre syndrome (such as unsteadiness, loss of coordination, trouble swallowing/speaking/chewing, trouble moving your eyes)
Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including:
- signs of kidney problems (such as change in the amount of urine, pink/bloody urine)
- easy bruising/bleeding
Rarely, this medication can cause severe (sometimes fatal) liver and blood problems (lactic acidosis). Tell your doctor right away if you develop symptoms of liver problems (such as nausea/vomiting that doesn't stop, loss of appetite, stomach/abdominal pain, yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine) or lactic acidosis (such as deep/rapid breathing, drowsiness, nausea/vomiting, unusual weakness).
This medication may rarely make your blood sugar rise, which can cause or worsen diabetes. Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of high blood sugar such as increased thirst/urination. If you already have diabetes, check your blood sugar regularly as directed and share the results with your doctor. Your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication, exercise program, or diet.
Changes in body fat may occur while you are taking this medication (such as increased fat in the upper back and stomach areas, decreased fat in the arms and legs). The cause and long-term effects of these changes are unknown. Discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doctor, as well as the possible use of exercise to reduce this side effect.
This medication can commonly cause a rash that is usually not serious. However, you may not be able to tell it apart from a rare rash that could be a sign of a severe reaction. Get medical help right away if you develop any rash, especially with symptoms such as fever, tiredness, muscle/joint pain, blisters, mouth sores, or red/swollen eyes.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including:
- rash
- itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat)
- severe dizziness
- trouble breathing
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
In the US -
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
Precautions
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to darunavir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, or tenofovir; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of:
- liver problems (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cirrhosis)
- a certain bleeding problem (hemophilia)
- kidney problems
Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).
This medication is not recommended for use during pregnancy. It may not work well in a pregnant woman. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor right away. Your doctor may change your HIV medications.
Emtricitabine, darunavir, and tenofovir alafenamide pass into breast milk. It is unknown if cobicistat passes into breast milk. Because breast milk may transmit HIV, consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Drug Interactions
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
Some products that may interact with this drug are:
Do not take this medication with other HIV medications (such as ritonavir). Do not take this medication with other products that contain cobicistat, darunavir, emtricitabine, or tenofovir.
This medication can slow down the removal of other medications from your body, which may affect how they work. Examples of affected drugs include dronedarone, eletriptan, eplerenone, ergot alkaloids (such as ergotamine, dihydroergotamine), lomitapide, pimozide, ranolazine, rivaroxaban, salmeterol, tolvaptan, certain alpha blockers (such as alfuzosin, tamsulosin), certain benzodiazepines (such as midazolam, triazolam), certain statins (such as lovastatin, simvastatin), certain drugs to treat erectile dysfunction-ED or pulmonary hypertension (such as avanafil, sildenafil), among others.
Other medications can affect the removal of this medication from your body, which may affect how this medication works. Examples include apalutamide, mitotane, certain rifamycins (such as rifampin, rifapentine), St. John's wort, certain drugs used to treat seizures (such as carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone), among others.
This medication may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring. This could cause pregnancy. This medication may also increase the risk of some hormonal birth control side effects. Talk to your doctor about other reliable forms of birth control, and use an effective barrier method (latex or polyurethane condoms/dental dams) during sexual activity to decrease the risk of spreading HIV to others. Tell your doctor if you have any new spotting or breakthrough bleeding, because these may be signs that your hormonal birth control is not working well.
Overdose
If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Alberta residents can call PADIS (Poison and Drug Information Service) 24 hours a day at 1-800-332-1414. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.
Notes
Do not share this medication with others.
Lab and/or medical tests (such as kidney/liver function, test for hepatitis B virus, viral load, T-cell counts, blood mineral levels, bone density tests, urine glucose/protein) should be done before you start taking this medication and while you are taking it. Keep all medical and lab appointments. Consult your doctor for more details.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at the regular time. Do not double the dose to catch up.
If you have questions about missing a dose or you don't have more medication, contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Storage
Store in the original container at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.
