Medications employed to impede or halt the progression of viruses in individuals diagnosed with HIV infection and AIDS are referred to as antiretroviral drugs. There are three primary categories of antiretroviral drugs: nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors. It is common practice to combine antiretroviral drugs from different groups for optimal efficacy.
Antiretroviral drugs function by impeding the activity of enzymes utilized by the virus to generate genetic material.
Antiretroviral drugs may elicit various side effects, which can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and impact blood chemistry, particularly in relation to lipid levels.