Medications Used for AIDS

HIV is treated with a group of medications called antiretrovirals. These drugs are designed to slow down the rate at which HIV infects host immune cells and reproduces. Although HIV can be managed, there is no cure for HIV/AIDS.

Types

• The classes of antiretoviral drugs include nucleotide and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), protease inhibitors (PIs), fusion inhibitors, chemokine coreceptor antagonists and integrase inhibitors.

Effects

• Antiretroviral drugs, depending on the class, interfere either with enzymes used by HIV to replicate itself or with HIV's ability to bind to and infect an infected person's cells.

Features

• Antiretroviral drugs are most commonly administered in groups in a therapy called HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy). A combination of different drugs targets HIV at several different points as it infects cells and replicates.

Side Effects

• Antiretroviral drugs are associated with a number of mild and severe side effects, according to HIV InSite. Severe or chronic side effects are a common reason why antiretroviral drug regimens are changed.

Adherence

• It is important to follow AIDS drug regimens as prescribed to avoid developing drug resistance. Changing or halting a drug regimen should not be done unless a physician advises it.