Treatment Guidelines:
Treatment should be offered to all patients with the acute HIV syndrome, those within six months of seroconversion, and all patients with symptoms ascribed to HIV infection. Once the decision has been made to initiate antiretroviral therapy, the goal is maximum viral suppression for as long as possible. Results of clinical trial indicate that this may be currently best achieved with a potent protease inhibitor (PI) in combination with two nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI's). [Most of the NRTI's can be supplied by VCF Inc.]
Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTI's) (choose two combinations)
|
Generic Name |
Trade Name |
Strength |
Dosing Recomendation |
|
Zidovudine (AZT,ZDV) |
Retrovir |
200mg |
Three times a day |
|
|
|
300 mg |
Two times a day |
|
|
|
3TC as Combivir |
1 time a day |
|
Didanosine (ddI) |
Videx |
200mg |
Two times a day (for persons more than 60 kg) |
|
|
|
125mg |
Two times a day (for persons less than 60 kgs) |
|
Zalcitabine (ddC) |
HIVID |
0.75 mg |
Three times a day |
|
Stavudine (d4T) |
Zerit |
40mg |
Two times a day (for persons more than 60 kgs) |
|
|
|
30mg |
Two times a day |
|
Lamivudine (3TC) |
Epivir |
150mg |
Two times a day |
|
(available in December) |
|
2mg/kg |
Two times a day (for persons less than 60 kgs) |
|
|
|
Or with ZDV as |
Combivir. One time a day |
Protease Inhibitors (PI's) [choose 1 drug]
|
Generic Name |
Trade Name |
Strength |
Dosing Recommendation |
|
Indinavir |
Crixivan |
200mg & 400mg capsules |
800mg every 8 hours. Take 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals; may take with skim milk or low fat meal |
|
Ritonavir |
Norvir |
100mg capsules 600mg/7.5ml po solution |
600 mg every 12 hours. Take with food if possible
|
|
Saquinavir |
Invirase |
200mg capsules |
600mg. Two times a day. Take with large meal |
|
|
Fortovase |
200mg capsules |
1,200mg two times a day. Take with large meal |
|
Nelfinavir |
Viracept |
250mg tablets 50mg/g oral powder |
750mg two times a day. Take with food. (meal or light snack) |