antiretrovirals
AIDS treatment drugs
Antiretrovirals are medications that suppress retroviruses, particularly HIV.
They don't cure the infection but can reduce viral load to undetectable levels, preventing AIDS progression and transmission: She's been on antiretrovirals for fifteen years.
Often abbreviated ARVs.
The drugs work through various mechanisms—blocking viral replication, preventing cell entry, or inhibiting enzymes the virus needs.
Microscopic infectious agent
- CD4Immune cell coreceptor
- immunodeficiencyWeakened disease-fighting capacity
- T-cellsThymus-matured immune lymphocytes
- undetectableImpossible to notice
transmission · epidemic · pandemic · stigma · AIDS · lymphoma · disclosure · diagnosis
Prescribed course of treatment
- adherenceFaithful following of something
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
- first-lineTried before alternatives
- second-lineBackup or alternative approach
suppression · efficacy · monitoring · side-effects · toxicity · compliance · switch · simplification
Drug fate in body
- bioavailabilityFraction reaching active circulation
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- genotypeOrganism's complete allele set
- contraindicationsReasons to avoid treatment
half-life · metabolism · CYP450 · boosting · formulation · generic · patent
HIV prevention medication
- prophylaxisPreventive medical treatment
- exposureState of being unprotected
- mother-to-childBetween parent and offspring
- harm-reductionMinimizing negative outcomes
State of being purchasable
- stockoutInventory exhaustion event
- supply-chainProduction-to-consumer pathway
- activismDirect effort for reform
- pricingEstablishing monetary amounts charged
virus
Microscopic infectious agent
- CD4Immune cell coreceptor
- immunodeficiencyWeakened disease-fighting capacity
- T-cellsThymus-matured immune lymphocytes
undetectable · transmission · epidemic · pandemic · stigma · AIDS · lymphoma · disclosure · diagnosis · testing
regimen
Prescribed course of treatment
- adherenceFaithful following of something
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
- first-lineTried before alternatives
second-line · suppression · efficacy · monitoring · side-effects · toxicity · compliance · switch · simplification · initiation
pharmacokinetics
Drug fate in body
- bioavailabilityFraction reaching active circulation
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- genotypeOrganism's complete allele set
contraindications · half-life · metabolism · CYP450 · boosting · formulation · generic · patent
PrEP
HIV prevention medication
- prophylaxisPreventive medical treatment
- exposureState of being unprotected
- mother-to-childBetween parent and offspring
affordability
State of being purchasable
- stockoutInventory exhaustion event
- supply-chainProduction-to-consumer pathway
- activismDirect effort for reform
- Medicinespill, tablet, aspirin, tablets, penicillin
- HIV/AIDSHIV, AIDS, AIDS crisis, AIDS quilt, AIDS epidemic
- Infection Treatmentsantibacterials, antifungals, antiparasitics, antimalarials, penicillin
- Antiviralsacyclovir, valacyclovir, amantadine, remdesivir, Tamiflu
- STI treatmentsazithromycin, doxycycline, penicillin, metronidazole, acyclovir
- treatmentstreatment, treatments, medication, medicine, therapies
antiretroviralsretroviruses
Viruses copying RNA into DNA
HIV · pathogens · viral load · viremia · immunosuppressants