What is Isentress?
Isentress is a type of HIV medication known as an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI). It’s one of the first drugs in its class and has been widely used for over a decade. You’ll usually take Isentress with other antiretrovirals.[3]
Clinical studies show that Isentress is highly effective when taken correctly, and most people experience good results with few side effects.[3]
How does Isentress work for PrEP?
Isentress contains raltegravir, an integrase inhibitor. It stops HIV from inserting its genetic material into your cells. This is a key step in how the virus replicates and spreads through the body, so this makes it harder for the virus to establish a long-term infection.
Isentress is usually prescribed alongside other medications for HIV prevention. If prescribed for PrEP, it will be used with another drug that works in a different way, like Truvada, which is a reverse transcriptase inhibitor.
Will I get side effects using Isentress?
Most people tolerate Isentress well. Side effects, if they happen, are usually mild and can include nausea, headache, or trouble sleeping.[2] Serious side effects are rare.
If you have any sign of an allergic reaction while using Isentress, stop using it and seek medical help immediately.
What doses of Isentress are there?
There are two standard doses of Isentress. The original version is 400mg taken twice a day, but there’s also a 600mg dose that is typically taken as two tablets once a day. Both doses have been shown to be equally effective.[3]
Treated has a 400mg dose available.
Treated trusted source:
- Nih.gov. (2024). DailyMed – ISENTRESS- raltegravir tablet, film coated ISENTRESS- raltegravir tablet, chewable ISENTRESS- raltegravir granule, for suspension.
- Herrera, C., et al. (2021). Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic investigation of raltegravir with or without lamivudine in the context of HIV-1 pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 76(8), pp.2129–2136.
- Cahn, P., et al. (2018). Raltegravir 1200 mg Once Daily vs 400 mg Twice Daily, With Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate, for Previously Untreated HIV-1 Infection: Week 96 Results From ONCEMRK, a Randomized, Double-Blind, Noninferiority Trial. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 78(5), pp.589–598.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
