Antiretroviral Therapy

Abstract: This chapter is about antiretroviral therapy (ART). It includes the goals of antiretroviral therapy (according to the 2018 Department of Health and Human Services [DHHH] guidelines), and it covers recommendations for antiretroviral therapy, special co-factor considerations, and what antiretroviral regimen to start. The chapter includes a detailed discussion on the selection of the initial third ART drug, individualized selection of the initial regimen, initiating ART in a patient with HIV-associated complications, treatment of HIV-2 infection, factors that influence the probability of prolonged viral suppression and regimen tolerability, the rapidity of virologic response, clinical failure, treatment strategies in selected situations, and treatment strategies in the setting of immunologic failure. The chapter concludes with a summary of pivotal antiretroviral trials.