Antiretroviral treatment

Antiretroviral treatment refers to the use of antiretroviral drugs to manage HIV/AIDS. These drugs do not cure HIV/AIDS, but they can significantly slow the progression of the disease. Antiretroviral treatment is also known as antiretroviral therapy (ART).

History

The first antiretroviral drug, zidovudine (AZT), was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1987. Since then, many other antiretroviral drugs have been developed and approved for use. The introduction of combination therapy in the mid-1990s, which involves taking several different antiretroviral drugs at the same time, marked a significant advancement in the treatment of HIV/AIDS.

Types of Antiretroviral Drugs

There are several different classes of antiretroviral drugs, each of which interferes with the HIV virus in a different way. These include:

• Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)
• Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)
• Protease inhibitors (PIs)
• Fusion inhibitors
• CCR5 antagonists (also known as entry inhibitors)
• Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs)

Treatment Regimens

The goal of antiretroviral treatment is to reduce the amount of HIV virus in the body to undetectable levels. This is achieved by taking a combination of at least three antiretroviral drugs from at least two different classes. The specific combination of drugs used will depend on a variety of factors, including the individual's health status, the potential side effects of the drugs, and the likelihood of the individual adhering to the treatment regimen.

Side Effects and Risks

While antiretroviral treatment can significantly improve the health and lifespan of individuals with HIV/AIDS, it can also have serious side effects. These can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, skin rash, and neuropathy. In some cases, antiretroviral drugs can also cause more serious health problems, such as liver damage, heart disease, or osteoporosis.

Future Directions

Research is ongoing to develop new antiretroviral drugs and treatment strategies. This includes research into long-acting antiretroviral therapy, which could potentially be administered less frequently than current treatment regimens, and HIV cure research, which aims to find a way to completely eliminate the virus from the body.