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Home > Drugs > Treatments > HIV Infection

Medications for HIV Infection

Other names: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Acute HIV Infection; Acute Retroviral Syndrome; AIDS; AIDS-Related Complex; ARC; Chronic Symptomatic HIV Infection; HIV; HIV Infection, Acute; HIV Seroconversion Syndrome; HIV/AIDS; Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection; Primary HIV Infection

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is a virus that attacks the immune system, specifically CD4 cells (also called T cells), which eventually reduces a person’s ability to fight infection. HIV can progress to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) if left untreated.

What Causes HIV?

HIV is thought to have originally mutated from a virus that infects chimpanzees, called simian immunodeficiency virus. Research has indicated that the virus probably mutated into HIV, which is a version that could infect humans, as far back as the late 1800s when the chimpanzees were hunted for meat.

HIV has been present in the United States since the mid to late 1970s.

Who is at Risk for HIV?

HIV can infect any person, no matter their age or gender or sexual preference. It is spread sexually, and by contact with infected blood, from mother to child during pregnancy, during childbirth, or through breast-feeding.

People have a higher risk of contracting HIV if they:

  • Have sex. Even condoms don’t provide 100% protection against HIV and the virus can enter your body through mouth sores following oral sex.
  • Have a blood transfusion, especially in certain countries overseas. The risk in America is very small as hospitals and blood banks now screen the blood supply for HIV antibodies.
  • Share needles. IV drug paraphernalia (needles and syringes) may be contaminated with HIV or other infectious diseases, such as hepatitis
  • Are pregnant and are HIV positive. Treatment for HIV during pregnancy significantly lowers the risk of passing on the infection to their babies
  • Have a sexually transmitted infection (STI). STIs act as a gateway to HIV infection because they compromise tissues or break the skin barrier in your genital area
  • Are an uncircumcised man. Research has shown this increases the transmission of HIV.

HIV cannot be spread through hugging, kissing, dancing or shaking hands with someone who has the infection. It is also not spread through insect bites, air, or water.

What are the Symptoms of HIV?

The symptoms of HIV and AIDS vary, depending on the phase of infection.

When you first acquire HIV it may take a month or two before symptoms show and these may last a week or two. Even then these may easily be confused with another type of viral illness, such as the flu, or so mild as not to be noticed initially. Symptoms of an initial acute HIV infection may include:

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches and joint pain
  • Painful mouth sores
  • Rash
  • Sore throat
  • Swollen lymph glands, mainly on the neck.

The infection is easily spread during this stage.

The next stage of HIV infection is called clinical latent infection. Generally, there are few signs or symptoms during this stage which may last approximately 10 years, although some people may develop persistent swelling of the lymph nodes or more severe disease sooner. HIV persists in the bloodstream and white blood cells.

Infections start to become more common as the virus continues to multiply and destroy your immune cells. Signs and symptoms of symptomatic HIV infection include:

  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Diarrhea
  • Weight loss
  • Yeast infection (eg, oral thrush)
  • Shingles
  • Swollen lymph nodes.

If left untreated, HIV usually progresses to AIDS (also known as stage 3 HIV) in about 10 years, although some people never develop AIDS despite never having treatment. A person is said to have AIDS when their CD4 count (a protein found on the surface of immune cells) falls below 200 (or the CD4 percentage falls below 14%) or when they develop certain opportunistic infections or cancers.

How is HIV Treated?

Although there is no cure for HIV, medications can dramatically slow the progression of the disease and people can live a relatively infection-free life. Few people die of AIDS these days thanks to effective treatments.

Medications used to treat HIV are called antiretrovirals (also referred to as ART or ARV). Most people with HIV take combination ART every day. ART also reduces the risk of HIV transmission. Approved ARV treatments are grouped into seven drug classes as follows:

  • Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)
  • Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)
  • Protease inhibitors (PIs)
  • Fusion inhibitors
  • CCR5 antagonists
  • Post-attachment inhibitors
  • Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs).

Drugs used to treat HIV Infection

Name Drug Class Updated
Emtricitabine, rilpivirine, and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 16-Aug-2023
Emtricitabine, nelfinavir, and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 16-Aug-2023
Enfuvirtide Miscellaneous antivirals 16-Aug-2023
Etravirine NNRTIs 16-Aug-2023
Tipranavir Protease inhibitors 16-Aug-2023
Maraviroc Chemokine receptor antagonist 16-Aug-2023
Emtricitabine, lopinavir, ritonavir, and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 15-Aug-2023
Emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (monograph) Drugs 15-Aug-2023
Descovy blister pack Antiviral combinations 15-Aug-2023
Calanolide a Drugs 15-Aug-2023
Cabotegravir and rilpivirine Antiviral combinations 15-Aug-2023
Cabotegravir Integrase strand transfer inhibitor 15-Aug-2023
Saquinavir Protease inhibitors 15-Aug-2023
Lenacapavir sodium (monograph) Drugs 14-Aug-2023
Lenacapavir (oral/injection) Miscellaneous antivirals 14-Aug-2023
Fostemsavir Miscellaneous antivirals 14-Aug-2023
Fosamprenavir Protease inhibitors 14-Aug-2023
Emtricitabine and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 14-Aug-2023
Emtricitabine Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 14-Aug-2023
Elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (monograph) Drugs 14-Aug-2023
Doravirine, lamivudine, and tenofovir disoproxil (monograph) Drugs 14-Aug-2023
Doravirine, lamivudine, and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 14-Aug-2023
Doravirine NNRTIs 14-Aug-2023
Dolutegravir and rilpivirine Antiviral combinations 14-Aug-2023
Dolutegravir and lamivudine Antiviral combinations 14-Aug-2023
Dolutegravir Integrase strand transfer inhibitor 14-Aug-2023
Darunavir Protease inhibitors 14-Aug-2023
Cobicistat, elvitegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 14-Aug-2023
Cobicistat, darunavir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 14-Aug-2023
Cobicistat and darunavir Antiviral combinations 14-Aug-2023
Cobicistat Antiviral boosters 14-Aug-2023
Nevirapine NNRTIs 14-Aug-2023
Nelfinavir Protease inhibitors 14-Aug-2023
Lopinavir and ritonavir Protease inhibitors 13-Aug-2023
Lamivudine and zidovudine Antiviral combinations 13-Aug-2023
Lamivudine and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 13-Aug-2023
Lamivudine Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 13-Aug-2023
Efavirenz, lamivudine, and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 13-Aug-2023
Didanosine Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 13-Aug-2023
Abacavir, lamivudine, and zidovudine Antiviral combinations 12-Aug-2023
Abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine Antiviral combinations 12-Aug-2023
Zidovudine (oral/injection) Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 12-Aug-2023
Tenofovir Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 12-Aug-2023
Stavudine Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 12-Aug-2023
Ritonavir Antiviral boosters 12-Aug-2023
Rilpivirine NNRTIs 12-Aug-2023
Raltegravir Integrase strand transfer inhibitor 12-Aug-2023
Ibalizumab Miscellaneous antivirals 11-Aug-2023
Efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 11-Aug-2023
Efavirenz NNRTIs 11-Aug-2023
Bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir Antiviral combinations 11-Aug-2023
Atazanavir and cobicistat Antiviral combinations 11-Aug-2023
Atazanavir Protease inhibitors 11-Aug-2023
Abacavir and lamivudine Antiviral combinations 11-Aug-2023
Abacavir Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 11-Aug-2023
Lexiva Protease inhibitors 05-Aug-2023
Dovato Antiviral combinations 05-Aug-2023
Aptivus Protease inhibitors 05-Aug-2023
Tivicay pd Integrase strand transfer inhibitor 05-Aug-2023
Tivicay Integrase strand transfer inhibitor 05-Aug-2023
Zidovudine (monograph) Drugs 21-Aug-2023
Accesspak for hiv pep expanded with viracept Antiviral combinations 05-Aug-2023
Sustiva NNRTIs 05-Aug-2023
Accesspak for hiv pep expanded with kaletra Antiviral combinations 05-Aug-2023
Accesspak for hiv pep basic Antiviral combinations 04-Aug-2023
Rukobia Miscellaneous antivirals 14-Jul-2023
Ziagen Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 14-Jul-2023
Zerit Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 14-Jul-2023
Vocabria Integrase strand transfer inhibitor 14-Jul-2023
Vitekta Integrase strand transfer inhibitor 14-Jul-2023
Viread Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 14-Jul-2023
Viramune xr NNRTIs 14-Jul-2023
Viracept Protease inhibitors 14-Jul-2023
Viramune NNRTIs 14-Jul-2023
Videx ec Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 14-Jul-2023
Videx Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 14-Jul-2023
Tybost Antiviral boosters 14-Jul-2023
Truvada Antiviral combinations 14-Jul-2023
Trogarzo Miscellaneous antivirals 14-Jul-2023
Trizivir Antiviral combinations 14-Jul-2023
Triumeq pd Antiviral combinations 14-Jul-2023
Symtuza Antiviral combinations 14-Jul-2023
Symfi lo Antiviral combinations 14-Jul-2023
Symfi Antiviral combinations 14-Jul-2023
Sunlenca (oral/injection) Miscellaneous antivirals 14-Jul-2023
Sunlenca Miscellaneous antivirals 14-Jul-2023
Selzentry Chemokine receptor antagonist 14-Jul-2023
Reyataz Protease inhibitors 14-Jul-2023
Retrovir (oral/injection) Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 14-Jul-2023
Prezcobix Antiviral combinations 14-Jul-2023
Prezista Protease inhibitors 14-Jul-2023
Pifeltro NNRTIs 13-Jul-2023
Norvir Antiviral boosters 13-Jul-2023
Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (monograph) Drugs 25-Aug-2023
Kaletra Protease inhibitors 13-Jul-2023
Isentress hd Drugs 13-Jul-2023
Isentress Integrase strand transfer inhibitor 13-Jul-2023
Invirase Protease inhibitors 13-Jul-2023
Intelence NNRTIs 13-Jul-2023
Fuzeon Miscellaneous antivirals 13-Jul-2023
Evotaz Antiviral combinations 13-Jul-2023
Epzicom Antiviral combinations 13-Jul-2023
Epivir hbv Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 13-Jul-2023
Epivir Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 13-Jul-2023
Emtriva Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 13-Jul-2023
Edurant NNRTIs 13-Jul-2023
Delstrigo Antiviral combinations 13-Jul-2023
Complera Antiviral combinations 13-Jul-2023
Combivir Antiviral combinations 13-Jul-2023
Cimduo Antiviral combinations 13-Jul-2023
Atripla Antiviral combinations 12-Jul-2023
Triumeq Antiviral combinations 12-Jul-2023
Stribild Antiviral combinations 12-Jul-2023
Juluca Antiviral combinations 11-Jul-2023
Genvoya Antiviral combinations 10-Jul-2023
Descovy Antiviral combinations 10-Jul-2023
Cabenuva Antiviral combinations 10-Jul-2023
Biktarvy Antiviral combinations 10-Jul-2023
Odefsey Antiviral combinations 01-Oct-2023
Lenacapavir (systemic) (monograph) Drugs 12-Oct-2023
Cabotegravir (systemic) (monograph) Drugs 12-Oct-2023
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