title: Antiretrovirals, part 1: overview, history, and focus on protease inhibitors.
abstract: This column is the first in a series on HIV/AIDS antiretroviral drugs. This first review summarizes the history of HIV/AIDS and the development of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and highlights why it is important for non-HIV specialists to know about these drugs. There are four broad classes of HIV medications used in varying combinations in HAART: the protease inhibitors, nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors, the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and cell membrane fusion inhibitors. This paper reviews the mechanism of action, side effects, toxicities, and drug interactions of the protease inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC 20307-5001, USA.
authors.forename: Gary H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Wynn
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zapor
authors.forename: Benjamin H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wortmann
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Oesterheld
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Kelly L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cozza
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000266:history; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000378:metabolism; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000266:history; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000378:metabolism; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000266:history / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014773:Virology / Q000266:history
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D002220:Carbamazepine