Open AccessAntiretroviral Treatment 2010: Progress and Controversies
Author(s) -
Roy M. Gulick
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.162
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1944-7884
pISSN - 1525-4135
DOI - 10.1097/qai.0b013e3181f9c09e
Subject(s) - regimen , antiretroviral therapy , life expectancy , medicine , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , viremia , intensive care medicine , antiretroviral treatment , population , drug holiday , clinical research , antiretroviral agents , immunology , viral load , environmental health
Effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) changes the clinical course of HIV infection. There are 25 antiretroviral drugs approved for the treatment of HIV infection, and current antiretroviral drug regimens are highly effective, convenient, and relatively nontoxic. ART regimens should be chosen in consideration of a patient's particular clinical situation. Successful treatment is associated with durable suppression of HIV viremia over years, and consequently, ART reduces the risk of clinical progression. In fact, current models estimate that an HIV-infected individual appropriately treated with antiretroviral drugs has a life expectancy that approaches that of the general HIV-uninfected population, although some patient groups such as injection drug users do less well. Despite these advances, continued questions about ART persist: What is the optimal time to start ART? What is the best regimen to start? When is the optimal time to change ART? What is the best regimen to change to? In addition, newer antiretroviral agents are in development, both in existing classes and in new classes such as the CD4 receptor attachment inhibitors and the maturation inhibitors. Further research will help optimize current antiretroviral treatments and strategies.