The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which eventually causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), kills blood cells needed to fight off infection. Individuals with HIV are at risk of becoming sick from opportunistic infections such as pneumonia. According to statistics from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, more than a million Americans are infected with HIV and AIDS. HIV and AIDS are treated by a combination of drugs that target symptoms while focusing on the quality of the patient's life.
Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
All drugs that fight against HIV are called anti-retroviral drugs because they interfere with the growth and survival of HIV, a type of virus called a retrovirus. Drugs known as nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors are the oldest anti-retroviral drugs. They inhibit the enzyme reverse transcriptase that HIV needs to make new viruses. Two other classes of drugs called non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors work similarly. Individuals taking any type of reverse transcriptase inhbitor are at risk of developing liver damage.
Protease Inhibitors
Protease inhibitors are another class of drugs that block the protease enzyme-making particles of HIV. The Mayo Clinic cautions that in addition to severe side effects associated with all anti-HIV drugs, protease inhibitors may change the way fat is metabolized causing large amounts of fat to accumulate on the back and in the stomach.
Fusion and Integrase Inhibitors
Although most individuals infected with HIV and AIDS are typically prescribed at least three drugs, often the virus becomes resistant. The Mayo Clinic explains that a newer class of drugs called fusion inhibitors appears effective against resistant HIV. These drugs prevent the virus from coming into contact with normal cells, making it unable to reproduce.
Integrase inhibitors are also relied upon when HIV becomes resistant to other drugs. These inhibitors interfere with the production of the enzyme integrase that HIV needs to make new virus.
Chemokine Co-receptor Inhibitors
A new class of drugs called chemokine co-receptor inhibitors focuses on normal cells instead of HIV particles. These inhibitors are used to treat a specific type of HIV strain known as CCR5-tropic HIV-1. CCR5, short for chemokine co-receptor 5, is a protein located on some cells that acts like a gatekeeper allowing HIV to enter and infect the cells. According to the Mayo Clinic, chemokine co-receptor inhibitors decreased the amount of HIV-1 particles significantly in clinical trials.
