NRTI (antiretroviral)
Emtricitabine
Brand names: Emtriva
Adult dose
Dose: 200mg OD
Route: Oral
Frequency: OD
Clinical pearls
- Component of multiple HIV combination therapies
- BHIVA HIV guidelines
- Active against HBV — avoid abrupt discontinuation in HBV co-infection (flare risk)
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity
Side effects
- Hyperpigmentation (palms/soles)
- Headache
- GI upset
- Lactic acidosis (class)
- HBV reactivation if discontinued in HBV co-infection
Interactions
- Adefovir/lamivudine (avoid combination)
Monitoring
- FBC
- Renal function
- Viral load
- HBV serology
Reference: BNF; BHIVA HIV guidelines; EACS guidelines; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/emtricitabine/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Pathways
- Infective Endocarditis · ESC 2023 Infective Endocarditis Guidelines; NICE NG41
- Eczema Herpeticum · BAD; NICE CKS
- Suspected Bacterial Meningitis (Adult) · NICE NG240 (2024); NICE NG143 (paeds)
- Clostridioides difficile Colitis · NICE NG199 (2021); IDSA/SHEA 2021
- Returning Traveller — Fever · NaTHNaC; PHE; ESCMID 2018
- Malaria — Diagnosis & Management · PHE 2016; WHO 2023