Options for those unable to swallow tablets/capsules | Antiretroviral agents* |
Oral liquid formulation available | NRTI:¶ Abacavir (20 mg/mL), emtricitabine (10 mg/mL), lamivudine (10 mg/mL), zidovudine (10 mg/mL). |
NNRTI: Nevirapine (10 mg/mL). | |
PI: Darunavir (100 mg/mL), fosamprenavir (50 mg/mL), lopinavir-ritonavir (80 mg lopinavir and 20 mg ritonavir per mL)Δ, tipranavir (100 mg/mL). | |
CCR5 antagonist: Maraviroc (20 mg/mL). | |
Pharmacokinetic enhancer: Ritonavir (80 mg/mL).Δ | |
Powder packet granules, or chewable tablet formulation available | NRTI: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) powder granules for mixture with soft foods (40 mg TDF per scoop; for adults, this requires 7.5 scoops per dose). |
PI: Atazanavir (50 mg oral powder for mixture with beverages or soft foods), ritonavir (100 mg oral power for mixture with soft foods). | |
INSTI: Raltegravir (chewable tablets [25 and 100 mg] and packet for oral suspension [100 mg/5 mL reconstituted).◊ | |
Tablets can be dissolved or dispersed in liquid§ | NNRTI: Etravirine (tablet may be dispersed in water). |
PI: Nelfinavir (tablet may be crushed or dissolved). | |
Tablets can be crushed; capsules can be opened¥ | NRTI: Emtricitabine (capsule may be opened), lamivudine (tablet may be crushed), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (tablet may be crushed). |
NNRTI: Efavirenz (capsules may be opened).‡ | |
PI: Darunavir (tablet may be crushed), nelfinavir (tablet may be crushed or dissolved), saquinavir (capsule may be opened). | |
INSTI: Bictegravir-emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide, dolutegravir, elvitegravir-cobicistat-emtricitabine-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. | |
Tablets can be crushed and administered via gastrostomy or nasogastric tubes† | NRTI: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, emtricitabine. |
NNRTI: Etravirine. | |
INSTI: Raltegravir, elvitegravir-cobicistat-emtricitabine-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. | |
Tablets are very small, easy to swallow | Rilpivirine. |
Dolutegravir. | |
Tenofovir alafenamide-emtricitabine. | |
Rilpivirine-emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide. | |
Bictegravir-emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide. | |
Tablets that should not be crushed or dissolved | Lopinavir-ritonavir tablets. |
Efavirenz-emtricitabine-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate coformulation. | |
Nevirapine extended-release. | |
Ritonavir tablets. | |
Darunavir-cobicistat tablets and atazanavir-cobicistat tablets. | |
Injectable formulations available | Enfuvirtide (subcutaneous injection twice daily). |
Zidovudine (intravenous). | |
Components of coformulations may be available as separate drugs in liquid or powder form | Efavirenz-emtricitabine-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.‡ |
Rilpivirine-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-emtricitabine: Rilpivirine tablet very small, but no liquid option available. | |
Zidovudine-lamivudine: Liquid formulation for each component available separately. | |
Zidovudine-lamivudine-abacavir: Liquid formulation for each component available separately. | |
Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-emtricitabine: Tenofovir powder and emtricitabine liquid available separately. | |
Abacavir-lamivudine: Liquid formulation for each component available separately. | |
Lopinavir-ritonavir: Coformulated liquid available. |