Since the HIV illness came to light, there have been many advances in the treatment for this disease. The different classes of medications fight the infection in different ways. Effective treatment for HIV relies heavily on adherence to the medication regimen so that resistance to the medications does not develop. Understand the action of your medications, manage side effects appropriately, communicate regularly with your doctor and seek the social support you need to stay compliant with your medications.
Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
An HIV protein called reverse transcriptase helps the HIV virus make copies of itself. According to Avert, nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, or NRTIs, interfere with this protein, resulting in the virus not being able to effectively make copies of itself. This reduces the viral load in the system. This happens because the NRTI has DNA that prevents replication. NRTIs were the first HIV medications created.
Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
This class of medications is also known as the NNRTIs. These medications help to stop the HIV protein promote the creation of copies of the virus, according to Avert. This happens because the NNRTI binds to the reverse transcriptase. NRTIs, on the other hand, interfere with the replication of this protein.
Protease Inhibitors
Protease inhibitors, or PIs, have an effect on the protease protein. This protein also assists with viral replication. PIs inhibit this process, according to Avert. According to the Mayo Clinic, this results in making the virus structurally disorganized and not infectious.
Fusion or Entry Inhibitors
This class of medications prevents the virus from passing into human immune cells. It prevents them from fusing, or binding and entering. Most people with HIV have a strain that is resistant to at least one class of medications. According to the Mayo Clinic, the medication Fuzeon appears to suppress resistant strains of HIV. This medication is administered by injection.
Integrase Inhibitors
The integrase enzyme allows for the HIV to insert genetic material into the human immune cells. According to Avert, integrase inhibitors help prevent this from happening.
Chemokine Co-receptor Inhibitors
According to the Mayo Clinic, this is a class of HIV drug used to treat a specific strain of HIV called CCR5-tropic HIV-1. This medication inhibits the HIV from entering white blood cells. According to the Mayo Clinic, it targets the human protein that assists with entry of foreign cells.
Multi-drug Combinations
There are combination drugs available that combine drugs from different classes. These drugs are created to assist with ease of use, medication adherence and increase effectiveness. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, health-care providers recommend that people infected with HIV take a combination of antiretroviral drugs known as highly active antiretroviral therapy.
