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What medications are available for HIV?

There are a number of approved drugs used to help combat HIV. The first group of drugs used are called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). These drugs interfere with HIV’s ability to copy itself and delay the onset of opportunistic infections. This group includessuch drugs as AZT, ddI, ddC, 3TC, abacivir, and tenofovir. These drugs are often used in combination with non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). These include delvaridine, nevirapine, and efavirenz.

The other class of drugs used for HIV treatment are called protease inhibitors. These drugs interfere with HIV’s ability to assemble into new virons (whole viruses) after they have reproduced. These drugs include ritonivir, saquinivir, indinavir, amprenivir, nelfinivir, and lopinavir.

Because HIV has shown to develop a resistance to many of these drugs, the preferred treatment regimen is a combination of several of these medications referred to as HAART, highly active antiretroviral therapy. This approach is used for both newly-infected individuals and those with long-term infection.

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