It may help prevent mental problems such as dementia. Some mutations can keep multiplying even when you are taking an antiviral drug. When this happens, the drug will stop working. However, when you take more than one antiviral drug at the same time, HIV mutates much more slowly and it takes much longer for resistance to develop. Sometimes, if you develop resistance to one drug, you will also have resistance to other antiviral drugs.
Resistance can develop quickly.
Efavirenz is taken by mouth as a capsule. It will also be available in a liquid formulation for children. Most adults will take 3 of the 200 mg capsules at a time. DuPont is developing a 600 mg pill of efavirenz. Efavirenz can be taken with or without food, but high-fat meals should be avoided.