Anti-HIV medications

Anti-HIV Medications

Anti-HIV medications, also known as antiretroviral drugs, are pharmaceutical agents used to treat infections by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). These medications are designed to control the replication of the virus within the body, thereby reducing the viral load, improving immune function, and preventing the progression to AIDS.

Mechanism of Action

Anti-HIV medications work by targeting different stages of the HIV life cycle. The main classes of antiretroviral drugs include:

• Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs): These drugs mimic the natural nucleosides used by the virus to synthesize DNA, thereby terminating the DNA chain and preventing viral replication.
• Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs): NNRTIs bind to and inhibit the reverse transcriptase enzyme, preventing the conversion of viral RNA into DNA.
• Protease Inhibitors (PIs): These drugs inhibit the protease enzyme, which is necessary for the maturation of infectious viral particles.
• Integrase Inhibitors: These inhibit the integrase enzyme, preventing the integration of viral DNA into the host cell genome.
• Entry Inhibitors: These prevent the virus from entering host cells by blocking the fusion of the viral envelope with the host cell membrane.

Treatment Regimens

The standard treatment for HIV infection is known as Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), which typically involves a combination of three or more antiretroviral drugs from at least two different classes. This approach helps to prevent the development of drug resistance and achieve maximal suppression of the viral load.

Side Effects

While antiretroviral therapy has significantly improved the prognosis for individuals with HIV, these medications can have side effects. Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, and headache. Long-term use of some antiretrovirals can lead to metabolic complications, such as lipodystrophy, insulin resistance, and hyperlipidemia.

Resistance

HIV can develop resistance to antiretroviral drugs, which is why adherence to prescribed regimens is crucial. Resistance testing is often performed to guide the selection of an effective treatment regimen.

Also see

• HIV/AIDS
• Viral Load
• CD4 Count
• Opportunistic Infections
• Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
• Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)