Efavirenz
Two efavirenz products sit on this shelf: Sustiva, the brand-name tablet, and Trustiva, a three-drug combination. Both are listed for HIV Management and used to treat HIV-1 infection alongside other antiretrovirals.
Key points
- Efavirenz tablets must not be used as a single agent to treat HIV-1; resistant virus emerges rapidly when the drug is taken alone or added as a sole agent to a failing regimen.
- Dizziness (28%), insomnia (16%) and impaired concentration (8%) are the most common central nervous system effects, and serious psychiatric adverse experiences have been reported.
- Trustiva combines efavirenz with tenofovir disoproxil and emtricitabine in one tablet; Sustiva is efavirenz on its own.
Common questions about Efavirenz
What strengths are listed for each product?
Sustiva is listed at 200 mg and 600 mg per tablet. Trustiva is a fixed-dose combination: each tablet contains 300 mg tenofovir disoproxil, 600 mg efavirenz and 200 mg emtricitabine, so all three active ingredients are delivered in one tablet.
Can efavirenz affect how other medicines work?
Efavirenz speeds up the liver enzymes that break down many other medicines, which can lower their effectiveness. The label says efavirenz must not be taken with elbasvir and grazoprevir, and warns that other drugs broken down the same way may be affected.

