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Manufacturer: Bristol-Myers Squibb

Comes in 50, 100, 200 and 600 mg tablets. The recommended dose is 600 mg, which is now available in a single tablet, taken every night at bedtime. You should avoid taking Sustiva after high fat meals.

Evaluation: Sustiva has always been the “pick-of-the-litter” when it comes to the Non-Nucleoside Reverse Trans­criptease Inhibitors (Non-Nukes). It is an absolutely first-class drug, considered the “standard of care” for HIV treatment. Sustiva is the foundation for the NNRTI-based regimens listed as “preferred” in the current DHHS guidelines for those starting HIV treatment. The dose is just one pill, once-a-day—making it very easy to take!

Sustiva and Truvada were a highly popular regimen for a long time, in part because of the dosing: just two pills, once-a-day. Now, Sustiva and Truvada are even more popular combined into one pill that contains a complete, effective HIV treatment regimen: Atripla.

Manufacturer: Boehringer Ingelheim

Comes in 200 mg tablets and 50 mg/5 mL oral suspension. Recommended dosing is 200 mg (one tablet) once-a-day for 14 days; then 200 mg (one tablet) twice a day. You can take it without regard to meals.

Evaluation: Viramune can be used as a substitute for Sustiva. It is listed as an “alternative” recommendation for people just starting treatment in the current DHHS guidelines.

Manufacturer: Tibotec

The standard dose of Intelence is two 100 mg tablets, taken twice a day following a meal.

Evaluation: Intelence is a brand new drug, just approved by the FDA in January, 2008. At present it is only approved for use by treatment-experienced HIV patients who have resistance to other HIV drugs. Intelence is an exciting new option for patients who cannot take Sustiva or any of the other non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors because of drug resistance. Usually when you develop resistance to one drug in this class, you are resistant to all of them. Intelence breaks that pattern.

Rescriptor is hardly ever used anymore. It is basically obsolete.

Copyright 2010, Positive Health Publications, Inc.

This magazine is intended to enhance your relationship with your doctor - not replace it! Medical treatments and products should always be discussed with a licensed physician who has experience treating HIV and AIDS!