HIV and AIDS are incurable diseases, but their progression can be slowed down through lifelong admission of special medications. Combined antiretroviral therapy involves the use of three or four drugs depending on the stage of the disease and the dosage prescribed by the doctor.
How does antiretroviral therapy work?
The immunodeficiency virus has a high mutagenicity. This means that it is very resistant to various adverse effects and is able to change its RNA, forming new viable mutations. This property significantly complicates the treatment of HIV and AIDS, as pathogenic cells adapt very quickly to the drugs taken.
Antiretroviral therapy is a combination of 3-4 different medications, each of which has a special principle of action. Thus, taking several drugs provides suppression of not only the main type of the virus, but also any of its mutations formed during the development of the disease.
When is antiretroviral therapy prescribed?
Naturally, the earlier the treatment of HIV infection begins, the better it will be to stop the progression of the virus, improve the quality and life expectancy of the patient. Given that the early symptoms of the disease usually go unnoticed, antiretroviral therapy is prescribed about 5-6 years after infection, in rare cases this period is increased to 10 years.
Drugs of highly active antiretroviral therapy
Medications are divided into classes:
1. Inhibitors of reverse transcriptase (nucleoside):
- Videx;
- Tenofovir;
- Kivex;
- Retrovir;
- Abacavir;
- Zerit;
- Lamivudine;
- Trivizir;
- Emtriva.
2. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors:
- Viramune;
- Stockrin;
- Delavirdine.
3. Protease inhibitors:
- Indinavir;
- Kaletra;
- Aptivus;
- Invisal;
- Ritonavir;
- Reyataz;
- Presista;
- Nelfinavir;
- Ageneraz;
- Telzir.
Inhibitors of fusion belong to the newest class of drugs for active antiretroviral therapy. So far only one drug known is Fuzeon or Enfuvirtide.
Adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy
Non-hazardous negative effects:
- skin rash;
- digestive disorders;
- lipodystrophy;
- hyperlipidemia;
- resistance to insulin;
- lipoatrophy;
- pathology of the central nervous system.
Severe effects:
- kidney stones ;
- oppression of the bone marrow;
- necrosis of the liver;
- lactic acidosis;
- Fanconi syndrome;
- pancreatitis;
- hypersensitivity;
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome.