A decade in HIV treatment: what is the state of the art and how did we arrive.
Simultaneous developments in the understanding of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pathogenesis and the development of new sensitive assays to measure HIV RNA have contributed to new approaches in the management of HIV infection. This article reviews major scientific developments in the treatment of HIV disease and outlines current clinical guidelines for primary care providers. Because effective prescribing stems from understanding how medications achieve their clinical effect, the mechanisms of action of nucleoside reverse-transcriptor inhibitors (NRTIs), nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptor inhibitors (NNRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) are covered. The evolution of therapy from NRTI monotherapy to PI- and/or NNRTI-containing combination therapy is traced.