Descovy Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Descovy is a prescription antiviral medicine containing emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide, two nucleoside and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). It is used either to treat HIV-1 infection together with other anti-HIV medicines, or to help prevent HIV-1 infection in people at risk. It is taken once daily and works by blocking HIV from multiplying in the body.

What is Descovy Tablet

Descovy is a prescription medicine containing two active ingredients, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide, that belong to a group of antiviral medicines. It is used either to treat HIV-1 infection together with other anti-HIV medicines, or to help prevent HIV-1 infection in people at risk.

Descovy Tablet uses

• Treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults and children weighing at least 25 kg, taken together with other anti-HIV medicines
• Reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection in at-risk adults and adolescents weighing at least 35 kg (PrEP)

Benefits of Descovy Tablet

• Viral Suppression: Helps prevent HIV from multiplying in the body
• Immune-System Support: Suppressing HIV helps preserve immune function
• Combination Therapy: Provides two NRTI medicines in one tablet

How Descovy Tablet works

Descovy blocks an enzyme called reverse transcriptase that HIV needs to multiply. By incorporating into the virus's genetic material, it stops the virus from copying itself, lowering the amount of HIV in the blood.

Descovy Tablet dosage

Take one tablet by mouth once daily. It can be taken with or without food. The tablet should not be chewed or crushed due to the bitter taste. If you cannot swallow the tablet whole, it may be split in half and both halves taken one after the other right away. Take it regularly at the same time each day and do not miss doses. Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly without talking to your doctor, even if you feel well.

If you miss a dose and notice within 18 hours of your usual time, take it as soon as possible, then take your next dose as usual. If you notice 18 hours or more after your usual time, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose. If you vomit within 1 hour of taking a dose, take another tablet.

If taking for PrEP, it must be taken every day, not just when you think you've been exposed to HIV. You must be confirmed HIV-negative before starting and while continuing to take it for PrEP.

Available forms and strengths

• Film-coated tablet (200/10 mg)
• Film-coated tablet (200/25 mg)

Side effects of Descovy Tablet

Common

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Abdominal pain
• Indigestion
• Flatulence
• Rash
• Vomiting
• Abnormal dreams
• Dizziness

Serious

• Serious liver problems (hepatotoxicity) with yellowing of skin or eyes, dark urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal pain
• Hepatic flare-ups of hepatitis B after stopping treatment
• Signs and symptoms of inflammation from previous infections (immune reconstitution syndrome)
• Lactic acidosis (build-up of acid in the blood), with weakness, unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, feeling cold, dizziness, or fast or irregular heartbeat
• Allergic reaction with skin rash or hives, swelling of face/lips/mouth/throat, wheezing, chest pain or tightness, or fainting
• Kidney problems, including kidney failure
• Bone problems including osteonecrosis (death of bone tissue)

Warnings and precautions

• If you have hepatitis B along with HIV, do not stop taking this medicine without first talking to your doctor, because your hepatitis B could suddenly get much worse. 
• This medicine does not cure HIV or AIDS, and people taking it can still develop infections that happen when the immune system is weak. 
• Taking this medicine does not stop you from passing HIV on to others, so you must continue using safer sex practices and never share needles.
• If used to reduce HIV risk, you must be confirmed HIV-negative before starting and must keep testing regularly, because missing doses can increase your risk of getting HIV. 
• If you take this medicine alone for HIV prevention while you are already infected with HIV, the virus can become harder to treat in the future. 
• Do not take this medicine with certain other drugs, including some anti-seizure medicines, certain antibiotics for tuberculosis, St John's Wort, and some other HIV or hepatitis B medicines, since they can make it less effective.
• If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor. It is not known for certain whether this medicine can harm an unborn baby, so you and your doctor must weigh the potential benefits and risks together. You should not breastfeed while taking this medicine. One of the ingredients passes into breast milk, and if you are HIV-positive breastfeeding can also pass HIV to your baby.
• Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems or are on dialysis. Your doctor will do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment, and may stop the medicine if your kidney function worsens. Tell your doctor if you have liver problems, including hepatitis B or C. People with existing liver disease who take antiretroviral medicines have a higher risk of serious liver complications.
• Be careful when driving or using machinery until you know how this medicine affects you, since it can cause dizziness or trouble concentrating.

Storage

• Keep your tablets in the bottle with the cap tightly closed until you take them
• Keep tablets in a cool, dry place where it stays below 30°C
• Store in the original package to protect from moisture
• Do not store in the bathroom or near a sink, or in the car or on window sills
• Keep it where young children cannot reach it
• If you no longer need the medicine or it is out of date, take it to a pharmacy for safe disposal
• Do not use this medicine after the expiry date

When to see a doctor

Get medical help right away if your skin or the white of your eyes turns yellow, your urine turns dark, your stools turn light-colored, you lose your appetite for several days, or you feel sick to your stomach with abdominal pain, as these can be signs of serious liver problems. Get medical help right away if you feel very weak or tired, have unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, feel cold especially in your arms and legs, feel dizzy, or have a fast or irregular heartbeat, as these can be signs of a dangerous buildup of acid in the blood.

Stop taking this medicine and get emergency help immediately if you notice lumpy skin rash or hives, swelling of the face, lips, mouth, or throat, wheezing or chest tightness, or fainting, as these may be signs of a serious allergic reaction. If you think you have taken too much of this medicine, seek urgent medical attention even if you feel fine. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any new symptoms of infection or inflammation, which can appear soon after starting treatment as your immune system recovers.

Alternatives

• Biktarvy
• Genvoya
• Odefsey