Side Effects of HIV Medicines

HIV Medicines and Side Effects

Last Reviewed: October 18, 2024

Key Points

  • Side effects are symptoms or problems that may occur when taking any medicine, including HIV medicine. While HIV medicines can improve quality of life and reduce the risk of disease transmission in people with HIV, they can sometimes cause mild to serious side effects.
  • HIV medicines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) generally have more benefits than risks, making them safe for most people.
  • The type and severity of side effects caused by HIV medicines can vary depending on the type of medicine and each person. If you are taking any HIV medicine for the first time, you should talk to your health care provider about possible side effects and ways to manage them.

Can HIV medicines cause side effects?

Side effects are symptoms or problems that may occur when taking any medicine, including HIV medicine. Specifically, HIV medicines help people with HIV live long, healthy lives, and can also reduce the risk of HIV transmission. 

As with most medications, HIV medicines can sometimes cause side effects. Most side effects from HIV medicines are manageable and will not cause serious problems, but a few can be serious.

Overall, the benefits of FDA-approved HIV medicines far outweigh the risk of side effects. In addition, HIV medicines have been improved over the years to cause fewer side effects, making people less likely to have side effects from HIV medicines.

If you are starting HIV medicines or if you are starting a new HIV medicine, you should discuss the possible side effects of the medication with your health care provider. Health care providers work with you to select an HIV treatment regimen based on your individual needs. 

If you experience side effects from an HIV medicine, consult with your health care provider. Always call your health care provider before you stop taking the medicine.

Do all HIV medicines cause the same side effects?

Different HIV medicines can cause different side effects. In addition, people taking the same HIV medicine can have different side effects.

Some side effects from HIV medicines are very common and may last only a few days or weeks. For example, nausea, fatigue, and sleep problems are some short-term side effects of HIV medicines.

HIV medicines can also cause other side effects that may not appear for months or years after starting a medicine. For example, high cholesterol—a major risk factor for heart disease—can be a side effect of some HIV medicines.

Having another medical condition or taking other medicines can increase the risk of side effects from HIV medicines. In addition, drug-drug interactions between HIV medicines and other medicines can also cause side effects.

Use the Clinicalinfo Drug Database to learn more about your HIV medicines, including possible side effects. For help using the Drug Database, contact a Clinicalinfo health information specialist by phone (1-800-448-0440) or email (HIVinfo@NIH.gov).

What are some ways to manage side effects from HIV medicines?

Before starting HIV medicines, talk to your health care provider about possible side effects.

In some cases, possible side effects can be avoided by precautionary testing. For example, the HIV drug abacavir (ABC) can cause hypersensitivity and a severe rash in patients with a particular genetic makeup. Before starting treatment with abacavir, the FDA recommends that all patients take a genetic test to predict their susceptibility to a serious hypersensitivity reaction.

Depending on the HIV medicines in your HIV treatment regimen, your health care provider will:

  • Tell you which specific side effects to look out for.
  • Give you suggestions on how to deal with manageable side effects like nausea and vomiting.
  • Tell you about the signs of life-threatening side effects that require immediate medical care, like swelling of the mouth and tongue.

Once you start taking HIV medicines, tell your health care provider about any side effects that you are having. Your health care provider can recommend ways to treat or manage side effects.

In some cases, it may be necessary to change HIV medicines to stop a side effect. However, do NOT cut down on, skip, or stop taking your HIV medicines unless your health care provider tells you to. 

Fortunately, there are many HIV medicines available as alternatives to include in an HIV treatment regimen. Your individual needs will determine the choice of HIV medicines to replace those causing side effects.