Common Drug Class Side Effects
HIV treatments or
antiretroviral (ARV) medications
have the potential to improve your health and extend your life, but from time to time they may make you feel unwell. Always talk with your doctor about any new side effects you experience, or side effects that get worse or just don't go away.
The following chart lists potential side effects for each drug class. This is only a sample of commonly experienced side effects for each drug class and not a comprehensive list. Side effects vary with each medication. For more information on a medication's side effects and how to deal with them, refer to the package insert and talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
| Drug Class |
Common Side Effects |
|
Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), also known as "nukes", nucleoside analogs or backbone
|
Serious allergic reaction (may include
fever,
rash,
and
vomiting);
anemia;
low
white blood cell
count;
nausea;
headache;
numbness,
tingling,
or pain in your limbs or extremities (these may be symptoms of
peripheral neuropathy);
inflammation of the pancreas (may include
abdominal pain,
vomiting,
diarrhea)
|
|
Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)
|
Rash;
mental changes
(bad dreams, sleep disturbance, confusion) during first 2 to 3 weeks
|
|
Protease inhibitors (PIs)
|
Nausea;
vomiting;
diarrhea; rash;
headache;
tingling
(around mouth, hands, feet); kidney stones; dry lips and skin; diarrhea; fat deposits in the abdomen (also know as
lipodystrophy);
change in levels of blood lipids (or blood fats)
|
|
Fusion inhibitors (FIs)
|
Local skin reaction at the site of injection (itching, swelling, redness, pain or tenderness, hardened skin, bumps)
|
| CCR5 inhibitors
|
Nausea, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, cough, rash, muscle spasms, back pain and sleep disorders. |
 Integrase inhibitors |
Diarrhea
, nausea, headache, rash, severe skin reactions and mental changes (including depression). |
|
