About efavirenz
Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor
Used for
- Treats HIV-1 infection, with other HIV medicines.
Usual adult dose
600 mg by mouth once daily, with other antiretroviral medicines.
Usual dose in children
For children aged 3 months or older and weighing at least 3.5 kg, dose is weight-based, once daily, with other HIV medicines.
Common side effects
- Dizziness, headache, trouble sleeping, vivid dreams
- Rash
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- Mood changes or difficulty concentrating
Important warnings
- Can cause serious rash or severe allergic reactions.
- May cause depression, suicidal thoughts, or other serious mental-health effects.
- Can cause liver injury; risk is higher with existing liver disease.
- Can cause birth defects; avoid pregnancy during treatment and for 12 weeks afterward.
Pregnancy
May cause fetal harm. Effective contraception is recommended during treatment and for 12 weeks after stopping; discuss pregnancy with a clinician.
Breastfeeding
People with HIV should not breastfeed because HIV can pass to the infant.
Interactions
- Can reduce hormonal contraceptive effectiveness; use an additional reliable method.
- Interacts with many medicines, including some seizure, tuberculosis, antifungal, and HIV medicines.
- Do not take with voriconazole or elbasvir/grazoprevir.
- St. John’s wort can reduce efavirenz levels and should be avoided.
AI-generated from general medical knowledge, not from this product's official leaflet. It may be incomplete or out of date. Not medical advice — ask a pharmacist or doctor before making any decision.