Understanding HIV/AIDS Treatment Options & Antiretroviral Therapy

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a life-threatening autoimmune disorder caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Although there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, symptoms can be managed through treatment with antiretroviral medications.

Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

• Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) uses a combination of antiretroviral drugs from different classes to combat the HIV virus while reducing the possibility that the patient will develop drug resistance.

Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

• Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (RT) drugs work by interfering with the virus's reverse transcription process, which slows or stops its reproduction in the body.

Protease Inhibitors

• Protease inhibitors are a type of antiretroviral drug that interferes with the enzyme that produces HIV viral particles.

Entry, Fusion and Integrase Inhibitors

• These three classes of medications stop the progress of the HIV virus by inhibiting its ability to enter host cells in the body.

Multidrug Products

• Atripla is the first FDA-approved medication that combines two different classes of antiretroviral drugs into one pill, simplifying treatment for patients. Other multi-drug therapies are currently in development.