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Atripla
efavirenz, emtricitabine, tenofovir disoproxil

Package leaflet: Information for the patient


Atripla 600 mg/200 mg/245 mg film-coated tablets

Efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil


Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.

will closely monitor your plasma levels of the immunosuppressant and may need to adjust its dose.

- Warfarin or acenocoumarol (medicines used to reduce clotting of the blood): Your doctor

may need to adjust your dose of warfarin or acenocoumarol.


Pregnancy and breast-feeding


If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.


Women should not get pregnant during treatment with Atripla and for 12 weeks thereafter. Your doctor may require you to take a pregnancy test to ensure you are not pregnant before starting treatment with Atripla.


If you could get pregnant while receiving Atripla, you need to use a reliable form of barrier contraception (for example, a condom) with other methods of contraception including oral (pill) or other hormonal contraceptives (for example, implants, injection). Efavirenz, one of the active

components of Atripla, may remain in your blood for a time after therapy is stopped. Therefore, you should continue to use contraceptive measures, as above, for 12 weeks after you stop taking Atripla.


Tell your doctor immediately if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. If you are pregnant, you should take Atripla only if you and your doctor decide it is clearly needed.


Serious birth defects have been seen in unborn animals and in the babies of women treated with efavirenz during pregnancy.


Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.


If you have taken Atripla during your pregnancy, your doctor may request regular blood tests and other diagnostic tests to monitor the development of your child. In children whose mothers took NRTIs during pregnancy, the benefit from the protection against HIV outweighed the risk of side effects.


Do not breast-feed during treatment with Atripla. Both HIV and the ingredients of Atripla may pass through breast milk and cause serious harm to your baby.


Driving and using machines


Atripla may cause dizziness, impaired concentration and drowsiness. If you are affected, do not drive and do not use any tools or machines.


Atripla contains sodium


Medicinal product no longer authorised

This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.


  1. How to take Atripla


    Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.


    The recommended dose is:

    One tablet taken each day by mouth. Atripla should be taken on an empty stomach (commonly defined as 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal) preferably at bedtime. This may make some side

    effects (for example, dizziness, drowsiness) less troublesome. Swallow Atripla whole with water. Atripla must be taken every day.

    If your doctor decides to stop one of the components of Atripla, you may be given efavirenz, emtricitabine and/or tenofovir disoproxil separately or with other medicines for the treatment of your HIV infection.


    If you take more Atripla than you should


    If you accidentally take too many Atripla tablets you may be at increased risk of experiencing possible side effects with this medicine (see section 4, Possible side effects). Contact your doctor or nearest emergency department for advice. Keep the tablet bottle with you so that you can easily describe what you have taken.


    If you forget to take Atripla


    It is important not to miss a dose of Atripla.

    If you do miss a dose of Atripla within 12 hours of when it is usually taken, take it as soon as you can, and then take your next dose at its regular time.


    If it is almost time (less than 12 hours) for your next dose anyway, do not take the missed dose. Wait and take the next dose at the regular time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten tablet.


    If you throw up the tablet (within 1 hour after taking Atripla), you should take another tablet. Do not wait until your next dose is due. You do not need to take another tablet if you were sick more than 1 hour after taking Atripla.


    If you stop taking Atripla


    Don’t stop taking Atripla without talking to your doctor. Stopping Atripla can seriously affect your response to future treatment. If Atripla is stopped, speak to your doctor before you restart taking Atripla tablets. Your doctor may consider giving you the components of Atripla separately if you are having problems or need your dose adjusted.


    When your supply of Atripla starts to run low, get more from your doctor or pharmacist. This is very important because the amount of virus may start to increase if the medicine is stopped for even a short time. The virus may then become harder to treat.


    Medicinal product no longer authorised

    If you have both HIV infection and hepatitis B, it is especially important not to stop your Atripla treatment without talking to your doctor first. Some patients have had blood tests or symptoms indicating that their hepatitis has got worse after stopping emtricitabine or tenofovir disoproxil (two of the three components of Atripla). If Atripla is stopped your doctor may recommend that you resume hepatitis B treatment. You may require blood tests to check how your liver is working for 4 months after stopping treatment. In some patients with advanced liver disease or cirrhosis, stopping treatment is not recommended as this may lead to worsening of your hepatitis, which may be life-threatening.


    Tell your doctor immediately about new or unusual symptoms after you stop treatment, particularly symptoms you associate with hepatitis B infection.


    If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.


  2. Possible side effects


    During HIV therapy there may be an increase in weight and in levels of blood lipids and glucose. This is partly linked to restored health and life style, and in the case of blood lipids sometimes to the HIV medicines themselves. Your doctor will test for these changes.


    Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.


    Possible serious side effects: tell your doctor immediately


    • Lactic acidosis (excess lactic acid in the blood) is a rare (may affect up to 1 in every

      1,000 patients) but serious side effect that can be fatal. The following side effects may be signs

      of lactic acidosis:

      • deep rapid breathing

      • drowsiness

      • feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and stomach pain.


    If you think you may have lactic acidosis, contact your doctor immediately.

    Other possible serious side effects


    The following side effects are uncommon (these may affect up to 1 in every 100 patients):


    • allergic reaction (hypersensitivity) that may cause severe skin reactions (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erythema multiforme, see section 2)

    • swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat

    • angry behaviour, suicidal thoughts, strange thoughts, paranoia, unable to think clearly, mood being affected, seeing or hearing things that are not really there (hallucinations), suicide attempts, personality change (psychosis), catatonia (a condition in which the patient is rendered motionless and speechless for a period).

    • pain in the abdomen (stomach), caused by inflammation of the pancreas

    • forgetfulness, confusion, fitting (seizures), incoherent speech, tremor (shaking)

    • yellow skin or eyes, itching, or pain in the abdomen (stomach) caused by inflammation of the liver

    • damage to kidney tubules


      Psychiatric side effects in addition to those listed above include delusions (false beliefs), neurosis. Some patients have committed suicide. These problems tend to occur more often in those who have a history of mental illness. Always notify your doctor immediately if you have these symptoms.


      Side effects to the liver: If you are also infected with hepatitis B virus, you may experience a worsening of hepatitis after discontinuation of treatment (see section 3).


      The following side effects are rare (these may affect up to 1 in every 1,000 patients):


      Medicinal product no longer authorised

    • liver failure, in some cases leading to death or liver transplant. Most cases occurred in patients who already had liver disease, but there have been a few reports in patients without any existing liver disease

    • inflammation of the kidney, passing a lot of urine and feeling thirsty

    • back pain caused by kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your doctor may do blood tests to see if your kidneys are working properly

    • softening of the bones (with bone pain and sometimes resulting in fractures) which may occur due to damage to the kidney tubule cells

    • fatty liver


      If you think that you may have any of these serious side effects, talk to your doctor. Most frequent side effects

      The following side effects are very common (these may affect more than 1 in 10 patients)


    • dizziness, headache, diarrhoea, feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting)

    • rashes (including red spots or blotches sometimes with blistering and swelling of the skin), which may be allergic reactions

    • feeling weak


      Tests may also show:

    • decreases in phosphate levels in the blood

    • increased levels of creatine kinase in the blood that may result in muscle pain and weakness


      Other possible side effects


      The following side effects are common (these may affect up to 1 in 10 patients)


    • allergic reactions

    • disturbances of coordination and balance

    • feeling worried or depressed

    • difficulty sleeping, abnormal dreams, difficulty concentrating, drowsiness

    • pain, stomach pain

    • problems with digestion resulting in discomfort after meals, feeling bloated, wind (flatulence)

    • loss of appetite

    • tiredness

    • itching

    • changes in skin colour including darkening of the skin in patches often starting on hands and soles of feet


      Tests may also show:

    • low white blood cell count (a reduced white blood cell count can make you more prone to infection)

    • liver and pancreas problems

    • increased fatty acids (triglycerides), bilirubin or sugar levels in the blood


      The following side effects are uncommon (these may affect up to 1 in every 100 patients):


    • breakdown of muscle, muscle pain or weakness

    • anaemia (low red blood cell count)

    • a feeling of spinning or tilting (vertigo), whistling, ringing or other persistent noise in the ears

    • blurred vision

    • chills

    • breast enlargement in males

      Medicinal product no longer authorised

    • decreased sexual drive

    • flushing

    • dry mouth

    • increased appetite


      Tests may also show:

    • decreases in potassium in the blood

    • increases in creatinine in the blood

    • proteins in urine

    • increased cholesterol in the blood


      The breakdown of muscle, softening of the bones (with bone pain and sometimes resulting in fractures), muscle pain, muscle weakness and decreases in potassium or phosphate in the blood may occur due to damage to kidney tubule cells.


      The following side effects are rare (these may affect up to 1 in every 1,000 patients)


    • itchy rash to the skin caused by a reaction to sunlight


    Reporting of side effects


    If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system listed in Appendix V. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.


  3. How to store Atripla


    Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

    Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the bottle and carton after {EXP}. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.


    Store in the original package in order to protect from moisture. Keep the bottle tightly closed.


    Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.


  4. Contents of the pack and other information What Atripla contains


What Atripla looks like and contents of the pack


Medicinal product no longer authorised

Atripla film-coated tablets are pink, capsule shaped tablets, engraved on one side with the number “123” and plain on the other side. Atripla comes in bottles of 30 tablets (with a silica gel sachet that must be kept in the bottle to help protect your tablets). The silica gel desiccant is contained in a separate sachet and should not be swallowed.


The following pack sizes are available: outer cartons containing 1 bottle of 30 film-coated tablets and 90 (3 bottles of 30) film-coated tablets. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.


Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer


Marketing Authorisation Holder: Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Carrigtohill

County Cork, T45 DP77

Ireland


Manufacturer:

Gilead Sciences Ireland UC

IDA Business & Technology Park Carrigtohill

County Cork Ireland


For any information about this medicine, please contact the local representative of the Marketing Authorisation Holder:


België/Belgique/Belgien

Gilead Sciences Belgium SRL-BV Tél/Tel: + 32 (0) 24 01 35 50

Lietuva

Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o. Tel.: + 48 (0) 22 262 8702

България

Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Тел.: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888

Luxembourg/Luxemburg

Gilead Sciences Belgium SRL-BV Tél/Tel: + 32 (0) 24 01 35 50


Česká republika

Gilead Sciences s.r.o.

Tel: + 420 (0) 910 871 986

Magyarország

Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel.: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888


Danmark

Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Tlf: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849

Malta

Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888


Deutschland

Gilead Sciences GmbH

Tel: + 49 (0) 89 899890-0

Nederland

Gilead Sciences Netherlands B.V.

Tel: + 31 (0) 20 718 36 98


Eesti

Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o.

Tel.: +48 (0) 22 262 8702

Norge

Gilead Sciences Sweden AB

Tlf: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849


Ελλάδα

Gilead Sciences Ελλάς Μ.ΕΠΕ. Τηλ: + 30 210 8930 100

Österreich

Gilead Sciences GesmbH Tel: + 43 1 260 830


España

Gilead Sciences, S.L. Tel: + 34 91 378 98 30

Polska

Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o. Tel: + 48 22 262 8702


France

Gilead Sciences

Medicinal product no longer authorised

Tél: + 33 (0) 1 46 09 41 00

Portugal

Gilead Sciences, Lda. Tel: + 351 21 7928790


Hrvatska

Gilead Sciences Ireland UC

Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888

România

Gilead Sciences Ireland UC

Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888


Ireland

Gilead Sciences Ireland UC

Tel: + 353 (0) 214 825 999

Slovenija

Gilead Sciences Ireland UC

Tel: + 353 (0) 1 686 1888


Ísland

Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Sími: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849

Slovenská republika

Gilead Sciences Slovakia s.r.o. Tel: + 421 (0) 232 121 210


Italia

Gilead Sciences S.r.l. Tel: + 39 02 439201

Suomi/Finland

Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Puh/Tel: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849


Κύπρος

Gilead Sciences Ελλάς Μ.ΕΠΕ. Τηλ: + 30 210 8930 100

Sverige

Gilead Sciences Sweden AB Tel: + 46 (0) 8 5057 1849


Latvija

Gilead Sciences Poland Sp. z o.o. Tel.: + 48 (0) 22 262 8702

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

Gilead Sciences Ireland UC Tel: + 44 (0) 8000 113 700

This leaflet was last revised in .


Medicinal product no longer authorised

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