According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), since the start of the Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic in 1981, nearly 600,000 people have died of the infection in the United States. The virus causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The disease remains incurable, although ongoing research is finding better and safer drugs for use in eradicating the virus. Drugs that treat HIV/AIDS are called antiretrovirals and they are conveniently grouped into several classes.
Nucleotide/Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Also known as nukes, these block HIV from forming new genetic material that it needs to replicate itself, according to AIDS.gov. The nukes provide faulty building blocks, confusing the enzyme, reverse transcriptase, employed by the virus for this process.
Available drugs in this class include Emtriva, Epivir, Retrovir, Videx, Viread, Zerit and Ziagen.
Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
These non-nukes also block viral replication but, unlike the nukes, act directly on reverse transcriptase to stop it from forming new viral genetic material.
Drugs of this type available for use include Intelence, Rescriptor, Sustiva and Viramune.
Protease Inhibitors
According to the NIAID, protease inhibitors block the viral enzyme, protease, from forming infective viral units. They include Agenerase, Aptivus, Crixivan, Invirase, Lexiva, Novir, Prezista, Reyataz and Viracept.
Fusion/Entry Inhibitors
Drugs in this class interfere with the ability of the virus to bind to the cell surface before gaining entry into the cell in the first place. They include Fuzeon and Selzentry.
Integrase Inhibitors
Integrase inhibitors, according to AIDS.gov, stop the viral enzyme, integrase, from integrating viral genetic material into host cell genes. This process is necessary for viral replication. The only available drug in this class currently approved for use is Isentress.
Fixed Dose Combinations
There are combinations of two or more drugs from one or two different classes in one pill. According to AIDS.gov, they represent a great advancement in HIV/AIDS treatment. According to the NIAID, this is called Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). Available fixed dose combinations include Atripla, Combivir, Trizivir, Kaletra, Epzicom and Truvada.
Miscellaneous Drugs
Other drugs used in HIV/AIDS treatments may not combat the virus directly, but are used to improve the quality of life of the patient and reduce discomfort or address the adverse effects of antiretroviral treatment. Antibiotics like Zithromax, Cotrim and Rifampicin treat bacterial infections. Antifungals like Diflucan and Fungizone treat systemic fungal infections. Antivirals like Valcyte and Zovirax are used to treat viral opportunistic infections. Multivitamins, food supplements and hormonal drugs are also used to treat vitamin deficiencies and adverse effects of retroviral drug treatment.
