Elvitegravir

Elvitegravir is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults who have undergone previous antiretroviral treatment.

• Elvitegravir is available under the following different brand names: Vitekta.

Common side effects of Elvitegravir include:

• diarrhea
• headache
• nausea

Serious side effects of Elvitegravir include:

• discouragement
• feeling sad or empty
• heartburn
• indigestion
• irritability
• lack of appetite
• loss of interest or pleasure
• rash
• stomach discomfort, upset, or pain
• thoughts or attempts at killing oneself
• trouble concentrating
• trouble sleeping
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• vomiting

Rare side effects of Elvitegravir include:

• none 

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors;
• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
• Serious heart symptoms include fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in the chest; shortness of breath; sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out.

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur because of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Adult dosage

Tablets

• 85 mg
• 150 mg

HIV infection

Adult dosage

• 85 milligrams (mg) once a day together with any of the following:
  • Ritonavir 100 mg once a day with atazanavir 300 mg once a day.
  • Ritonavir 100 mg two times a day with lopinavir 400 mg two times a day.
• 150 mg once a day together with any of the following:
  • Ritonavir 100 mg two times a day with darunavir 600 mg two times a day.
  • Ritonavir 100 mg two times a day with fosamprenavir 700 mg two times a day.
  • Ritonavir 200 mg two times a day with tipranavir 500 mg two times a day.

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first.

• Elvitegravir has severe interactions with the following drugs:
  • Carbamazepine
  • Fosphenytoin
  • Phenobarbital
  • Phenytoin
  • Primidone
  • Rifampin
  • St John's Wort
• Elvitegravir has serious interactions with no other drugs.
• Elvitegravir has moderate interactions with at least 40 other drugs.
• Elvitegravir has minor interactions with no other drugs.

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all your products. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your healthcare professional or doctor for additional medical advice, health questions, or concerns.

Contraindications

• Severe liver disease

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Elvitegravir?”

Long-Term Effects

See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Elvitegravir?”

Cautions

• It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits, to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.
• Do not use this medicine together with cobicistat (Tybost®) or other medicines that contain cobicistat (eg, Stribild®).
• Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal (eg, St. John's wort) or vitamin supplements.
• Your immune system may get stronger when you start taking HIV medicines. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child notice any changes in your health. Sometimes the immune system will start to fight infections that were hidden in your body, such as pneumonia, herpes, or tuberculosis. Autoimmune disorders (eg, Graves' disease, polymyositis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome) may also occur.
• This medicine does not decrease the risk of transmitting the HIV infection to others through sexual contact or by contaminated blood. Make sure you understand and practice safe sex, even if your partner also has HIV. Avoid sharing needles with anyone.

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Use of standard doses during pregnancy may result in increased risk for virologic failure & mother-to-child transmission due to lowering of plasma concentrations to less than effective levels during pregnancy
• Lactation
  • There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.