YOU ARE HERE:
Drug Combinations
Each of these modules explains the essential information needed in order to prescribe and monitor a fixed-dose antiretroviral combination. The emphasis is on ensuring the correct use of fixed dose combinations and management of side-effects, with the assumption that little or no laboratory monitoring is available. There is one slide set for each fixed dose combination currently manufactured. Each slide set contains test questions to ensure recall of key points.
We have taken this approach because the World Health Organisation has recommended antiretroviral therapy should be introduced with one fixed dose combination as the standard treatment in resource-limited settings.
Training session organisers can choose the combination slide set appropriate for use with their audience.
Each module is most relevant to the health care workers who are prescribing and monitoring antiretroviral treatment, and those who are supervising them.
This module provides training towards the following WHO-recommended clinical care competencies for HIV service delivery providers:
Clinical assessment, preparation before initiation of ARV Therapy, and initiation
- Recommend or initiate first-line ARV regimen in patients without complications
- Know what lab tests are required prior to EFV (pregnancy test in women of childbearing age) and ZDV (hgb) and order or perform these
Prescribing ARVs
- Calculate the correct dose for the 4 first line regimens
- Give detailed advice on how to take the 4 first line regimens
- Prescribe all classes of ARVs at the correct dose
- Explain food and other diet restrictions where needed
- Recognise most common side effects for each regimen and each drug
- Give patient an adequate explanation of the most important side effects for their regimen
- Explain what to do if the most common side effects occur and when to seek care
- Substitute to alternative first-line regimens in appropriate circumstances and record reason
- Switch to second line regimen in appropriate circumstances and record reason
Monitoring, treatment failure and toxicity
- Review ARV side effects
- Manage simple side effects
- Call for advice or refer side effects as indicated
- Recognise and manage most common side effects and refer patients with signs and symptoms where IRIS and new OI must be excluded
nevirapine, stavudine, lamivudine - Downloads
nevirapine, zidovudine, lamivudine - Downloads
efavirenz, stavudine, lamivudine - Downloads
efavirenz, zidovudine, lamivudine - Downloads
efavirenz, didanosine, lamivudine - Downloads
abacavir, zidovudine, lamivudine - Downloads