There are five different types or classes of anti-HIV medication that work in different ways to stop the virus from multiplying. Usually people take a combination of medications to get the best result – this is called combination therapy. This can also help prevent the development of drug resistance – a major reason that anti-HIV medications may stop working. Click here for more information on drug resistance
What medications do
This diagram shows you where each of the five classes of medications work in the HIV virus life cycle:
- Entry inhibitors help stop the virus entering your immune system cell
- NRTIs or 'Nukes' and NNRTIs or 'Non-nukes' help stop the virus's genetic material changing to a form similar to your immune system cell's genetic material
- Integrase inhibitors help stop the virus's genetic material entering the nucleus of your immune system cell, where it would normally multiply
- Protease inhibitors help stop new viral genetic material being assembled into new HIV viruses.
Next section: » Taking your medication
