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Truvada Side Effects

Generic name: emtricitabine / tenofovir disoproxil

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 26, 2024.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Truvada Side Effects associated with emtricitabine / tenofovir disoproxil. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Truvada.

Applies to emtricitabine / tenofovir disoproxil: oral tablet.

Important warnings This medicine can cause some serious health issues

Oral route (tablet)

Emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is not indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the safety and efficacy have not been established in patients co-infected with HBV and HIV-1.

Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B have been reported in patients who are co-infected with HBV and HIV-1 and have discontinued emtricitabine/tenofovir; monitor hepatic function upon discontinuation of therapy.

Emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate used for a PrEP indication is only for HIV-negative individuals; status confirmed immediately prior to initiating and periodically during use.

Drug-resistant HIV-1 variants have been identified with use of emtricitabine / tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for a PrEP indication following undetected acute HIV-1 infection.

Serious side effects of Truvada

Along with its needed effects, emtricitabine / tenofovir disoproxil may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking emtricitabine / tenofovir disoproxil:

More common

  • blisters under the skin
  • body aches or pain
  • chills
  • difficulty in breathing
  • ear congestion
  • fever
  • loss of voice
  • pain or tenderness around the eyes and cheekbones
  • rash with flat lesions or small raised lesions on the skin
  • redness of the skin
  • runny or stuffy nose
  • sore throat
  • spots on your skin resembling a blister or pimple
  • unusual tiredness or weakness

Less common

  • blindness or vision changes
  • burning of the face or mouth
  • burning, crawling, itching, numbness, painful, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings in the hands, arms, feet, or legs
  • chest pain
  • clumsiness or unsteadiness
  • stabbing pain
  • weakness in the hands or feet

Incidence not known

  • agitation
  • bloating
  • bloody or cloudy urine
  • bone pain
  • change in how much or how often you urinate
  • confusion
  • constipation
  • cough
  • dark urine
  • decreased awareness or responsiveness
  • difficult or painful urination
  • difficulty in swallowing
  • fast heartbeat
  • fast, shallow breathing
  • general feeling of discomfort
  • increased thirst
  • indigestion
  • irritability
  • itching skin, hives, welts
  • loss of appetite
  • loss of consciousness
  • lower back or side pain
  • muscle pain, cramp, or twitching
  • pains in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back
  • puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  • rapid weight gain
  • seizures
  • severe sleepiness
  • stomach pain
  • sudden decrease in the amount of urine
  • swelling of the face, fingers, hands, lower legs, or ankles
  • tightness in the chest
  • unusual drowsiness, dullness, or feeling of sluggishness
  • yellow eyes or skin

Other side effects of Truvada

Some side effects of emtricitabine / tenofovir disoproxil may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

  • depression
  • diarrhea
  • nausea

Less common

  • anxiety
  • back pain
  • belching
  • difficulty in moving
  • heartburn
  • joint pain or swelling
  • lack or loss of strength
  • pain
  • passing of gas
  • stomach upset
  • sweating
  • trouble sleeping
  • vomiting
  • weight loss

For healthcare professionals

Applies to emtricitabine / tenofovir disoproxil: oral kit, oral tablet.

General

In clinical trials, the most common side effects reported with emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide (with elvitegravir and cobicistat) were nausea, diarrhea, and headache.

Side effects have been reported for emtricitabine and/or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (DF) when taken in combination with other antiretroviral agents. The most common side effects reported in HIV-1-infected patients during a clinical study of efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir DF included diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, headache, dizziness, depression, insomnia, abnormal dreams, and rash. In this trial, emtricitabine-tenofovir DF (with efavirenz) was used from weeks 96 to 144, replacing emtricitabine plus tenofovir DF (with efavirenz).

In HIV-1-uninfected patients in HIV-1 preexposure prophylaxis trials, the most common side effect reported with emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide was diarrhea while the most common side effects reported with emtricitabine-tenofovir DF were headache, abdominal pain, and decreased weight.[Ref]

Dermatologic

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine:

Products containing emtricitabine and/or tenofovir alafenamide:

Tenofovir alafenamide-containing products:

Tenofovir DF:

Skin discoloration (hyperpigmentation) was very common in pediatric patients using emtricitabine.

Rash has also been reported during postmarketing experience with tenofovir DF.[Ref]

Endocrine

Tenofovir DF:

Gastrointestinal

Emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine:

Tenofovir DF:

Increased serum amylase (greater than 175 units/L) has been reported in up to 8% of patients using emtricitabine-tenofovir DF.

In clinical trials, nausea was the most common side effect reported in antiretroviral therapy-naive HIV-1-infected patients using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide with elvitegravir plus cobicistat.

Increased amylase (greater than 2 times the upper limit of normal [2 x ULN]) has been reported in 3% and 5% of patients using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine plus tenofovir DF, respectively, each with elvitegravir plus cobicistat. Increased lipase has been reported in 5% and 8% of patients using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine plus tenofovir DF, respectively, each with elvitegravir plus cobicistat.

Pancreatitis, abdominal pain, and increased amylase have also been reported during postmarketing experience with tenofovir DF.[Ref]

Genitourinary

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide:

Tenofovir DF:

Hematuria (greater than 75 RBC/high power field: up to 3%) and glycosuria (3+ or greater: less than 1%) have been reported with emtricitabine-tenofovir DF.

Hematuria (greater than 75 RBC/high power field) has been reported in 3% and 3% of patients using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine plus tenofovir DF, respectively, each with elvitegravir plus cobicistat.

Proteinuria has also been reported during postmarketing experience with tenofovir DF.[Ref]

Hematologic

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine:

Tenofovir DF:

Decreased neutrophils (1000 to 1300 cells/mm3: up to 13%; less than 750 cells/mm3: up to 5%) and hemoglobin (8.5 to 10 mg/dL: 4%; less than 9.4 mg/dL: up to 2%) have been reported with emtricitabine-tenofovir DF.

Anemia was common in pediatric patients using emtricitabine.[Ref]

Hepatic

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine:

Products containing emtricitabine and/or tenofovir alafenamide:

Tenofovir DF:

Increased AST (1.25 to less than 2.5 x ULN: up to 14%; greater than 2.6 x ULN: up to 5%) and ALT (1.25 to less than 2.5 x ULN: up to 14%; greater than 2.6 x ULN: up to 7%) have been reported with emtricitabine-tenofovir DF.

Increased AST (greater than 180 units/L) and ALT (greater than 215 units/L) have been reported in 3% and 2% of males using emtricitabine-tenofovir DF, respectively. Increased AST (greater than 170 units/L) and ALT (greater than 170 units/L) have been reported in 3% and 2% of females using emtricitabine-tenofovir DF, respectively.

Increased AST (greater than 5 x ULN) has been reported in 3% and 4% of patients using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine plus tenofovir DF, respectively, each with elvitegravir plus cobicistat. Increased ALT (greater than 5 x ULN) has been reported in 3% and 3% of patients using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine plus tenofovir DF, respectively, each with elvitegravir plus cobicistat.

Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis have been reported in patients with hepatitis B after discontinuation of this drug and were associated with liver failure and liver decompensation in some emtricitabine-treated patients.

Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis (including fatal cases) have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogs.

Hepatic steatosis and hepatitis have also been reported during postmarketing experience with tenofovir DF.[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

Emtricitabine:

Tenofovir DF:

Immunologic

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Metabolic

Emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine:

Tenofovir DF:

Antiretroviral therapy:

Hyperglycemia (greater than 250 mg/dL) has been reported in up to 2% of patients using emtricitabine-tenofovir DF.

Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis (including fatal cases) have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogs.

Hypokalemia and hypophosphatemia may occur as a result of proximal renal tubulopathy.

Hypokalemia, lactic acidosis, and hypophosphatemia have also been reported during postmarketing experience with tenofovir DF.[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

Emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine:

Tenofovir DF:

Combination antiretroviral therapy:

In clinical trials of HIV-1-uninfected patients, decreased BMD was reported. During treatment with emtricitabine-tenofovir DF, 13% of patients lost at least 5% of BMD at the spine.

Increased creatine kinase (males: greater than 990 units/L; females: greater than 845 units/L) has been reported in up to 9% of patients using emtricitabine-tenofovir DF.

Increased creatine kinase (at least 10 x ULN) has been reported in 11% and 10% of patients using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine plus tenofovir DF, respectively, each with elvitegravir plus cobicistat.

In virologically-suppressed tenofovir DF-treated patients who switched to emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide with elvitegravir plus cobicistat, mean BMD increased between baseline and week 48; decreased BMD was also reported.

Rhabdomyolysis, osteomalacia, muscular weakness, and myopathy may occur as a result of proximal renal tubulopathy.

Rhabdomyolysis, muscular weakness, and myopathy have also been reported during postmarketing experience with tenofovir DF.[Ref]

Nervous system

Emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine:

Tenofovir DF:

Other

Emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine:

Tenofovir DF:

Antiretroviral therapy:

Increased fasting cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL: up to 22%), decreased phosphorus (2.5 to less than the lower limit of normal: up to 7%; less than 2 mg/dL: up to 10%), increased fasting triglycerides (greater than 750 mg/dL: up to 5%), and increased alkaline phosphatase (greater than 550 units/L: 1%) have been reported with emtricitabine-tenofovir DF.

In clinical trials, the following mean increases were reported in antiretroviral therapy-naive patients after using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide with elvitegravir plus cobicistat for 48 weeks: total cholesterol increased by 30 mg/dL, LDL cholesterol by 15 mg/dL, HDL cholesterol by 7 mg/dL, triglycerides by 29 mg/dL. In clinical trials, the following mean increases were reported in patients using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine plus tenofovir DF, respectively, each with elvitegravir plus cobicistat for 144 weeks: fasted total cholesterol increased by 31 and 14 mg/dL, fasted LDL cholesterol by 20 and 8 mg/dL, fasted HDL cholesterol by 7 and 3 mg/dL, fasted triglycerides by 29 and 17 mg/dL.

Increased fasting LDL cholesterol (greater than 190 mg/dL) has been reported in 11% and 5% of patients using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine plus tenofovir DF, respectively, each with elvitegravir plus cobicistat. Increased fasting total cholesterol (greater than 300 mg/dL) has been reported in 4% and 3% of patients using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine plus tenofovir DF, respectively, each with elvitegravir plus cobicistat.

Asthenia has also been reported during postmarketing experience with tenofovir DF.[Ref]

Psychiatric

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine:

Tenofovir DF:

Renal

Emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide:

Products containing emtricitabine and/or tenofovir alafenamide:

Tenofovir alafenamide-containing products:

Tenofovir DF:

Tenofovir prodrugs:

Increased creatinine (1.1 to 1.3 x ULN: up to 2%; greater than 1.4 x ULN: less than 1%) has been reported with emtricitabine-tenofovir DF.

In 2 trials in antiretroviral therapy-naive HIV-1-infected patients (median estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] 115 mL/min at baseline) using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide with elvitegravir plus cobicistat, mean serum creatinine increased by 0.1 mg/dL from baseline to week 48; median UPCR was 44 mg/g at baseline and at week 48. In a trial in virologically-suppressed tenofovir DF-treated patients (mean eGFR 112 mL/min at baseline) who switched to emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide with elvitegravir plus cobicistat, mean serum creatinine was similar to baseline; median UPCR was 61 mg/g at baseline and 46 mg/g at week 48. In a trial in renal dysfunction patients (baseline eGFR 30 to 69 mL/min) using emtricitabine plus tenofovir alafenamide with elvitegravir plus cobicistat, mean serum creatinine was 1.5 mg/dL at baseline and week 24; median UPCR was 161 mg/g at baseline and 93 mg/g at week 24.

Proximal renal tubulopathy generally resolved or improved after tenofovir DF was stopped; however, decreased CrCl did not completely resolve in some HIV-1-infected patients after stopping the drug. Rhabdomyolysis, osteomalacia, bone abnormalities (infrequently contributing to fractures), hypokalemia, muscular weakness, myopathy, and hypophosphatemia may occur as a result of proximal renal tubulopathy.

Renal failure, acute renal failure, Fanconi syndrome, proximal renal tubulopathy, increased creatinine, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, and acute tubular necrosis have also been reported during postmarketing experience with tenofovir DF.[Ref]

Respiratory

Emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide:

Emtricitabine-tenofovir DF:

Emtricitabine:

Tenofovir DF:

References

1. (2020) "Product Information. Truvada (emtricitabine-tenofovir)." Gilead Sciences, SUPPL-61

2. (2022) "Product Information. Descovy (emtricitabine-tenofovir)." Gilead Sciences, SUPPL-20

3. (2020) "Product Information. Truvada (emtricitabine-tenofovir)." Gilead Sciences Pty Ltd

4. (2021) "Product Information. Descovy (emtricitabine-tenofovir)." Gilead Sciences Pty Ltd, v 6.0

5. (2021) "Product Information. Truvada (emtricitabine-tenofovir)." Gilead Sciences Ltd

6. (2022) "Product Information. Descovy (emtricitabine-tenofovir)." Gilead Sciences Ltd

7. de Perio MA, Gomez FJ, Frame PT, Fichtenbaum CJ (2007) "A truvada hypersensitivity reaction simulating abacavir hypersensitivity." AIDS, 21, p. 2252-3

Frequently asked questions

Further information

Truvada side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Some side effects may not be reported. You may report them to the FDA.