Antiretroviral drug
Antiretroviral drug
Antiretroviral drugs (pronunciation: an-tee-ret-ro-vi-ral drugs) are a class of medications used specifically for the treatment of HIV infections.
Etymology
The term "antiretroviral" is derived from the type of virus they combat, known as a retrovirus. "Anti-" is a prefix indicating "against," thus "antiretroviral" translates to "against retroviruses."
Definition
Antiretroviral drugs are used to slow the progression of HIV disease. They work by stopping the virus from replicating, which reduces the amount of virus in the body (also known as the viral load).
Types of Antiretroviral Drugs
There are several types of antiretroviral drugs, each of which has a different mechanism of action to inhibit the life cycle of the HIV virus. These include:
- Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)
- Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs)
- Protease Inhibitors (PIs)
- Fusion Inhibitors
- CCR5 Antagonists
- Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors (INSTIs)
Treatment
The use of a combination of antiretroviral drugs, known as Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), is the standard treatment for HIV infection. ART is not a cure, but it can control the virus and enable people with HIV to lead a healthy, normal life.
Side Effects
Like all medications, antiretroviral drugs can cause side effects. These can vary from person to person and can range from mild to severe. Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and fatigue.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Antiretroviral drug
- Wikipedia's article - Antiretroviral drug
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