Stavudine is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) with activity against Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1). Stavudine is phosphorylated to active metab olites that compete for incorporation into viral DNA. They inhibit the HIV reverse transcriptase enzyme competitively and act as a chain terminator of DNA synthesis. Without the presence of  3′-OH group in the incorporated nucleoside analogue,enables the formation of the 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage essential for DNA chain elongation, and therefore, the viral DNA growth is terminated.                                                               

Stavudine the component of Zerit was firstsynthesized by an American scientist Jerome Horwitz of Barbara Ann Ka rmanos Cancer Institute and of Wayne State University School of Medecine in 1964. It was synthesized for cancer treatment and was later discovered as an effective component in treating of HIV. Stavudine was approved in the US Food and Drugs Administration in June 24, 1994. The same drug was also granted approval for use in children as young as newborn in 1996. It is also  indicated for the treatment of adults with advanced HIV infection who are intolerant of approved therapies with proven clinical benefit or who have experienced significant clinical or immunologic deterioration while receiving these therapies or for whom such therapies are contraindicated. The most common side effect from Zerit therapy is peripheral neuropathy, which may cause loss of feeling, numbness, tingling, or pain in a part of the body. Approximately 20% of patients taking Zerit will experience peripheral neuropathy. Neuropathy refers to disorders of the nerves of the peripheral nervous system. It may also cause the build up of lactic acid in the body or what is known as lactic acidosis. Symptoms include unusual muscle pain or weakness, numb or cold feeling in your arms and legs, trouble breathing, nausea with vomiting, fast or uneven heart rate, dizziness, and feeling very weak or tired. Zerit can also cause severe or life-threatening effects on your liver or pancreas.

Zerit can be taken with or without food.Follow strictly your doctor’s advice. When confusion arise, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you. Swallow the extended-release capsules (Zerit XR) whole, without crushing or chewing. For people with difficulty in swallowing, they can be carefully opened and the contents mixed with two tablespoons of applesauce or yogurt. The mixture should then be swallowed whole, without chewing or crushing the beads. Consume the mixture immediately, do not save it for later use.Stop taking zerit and seek emergency medical attention if you experience an allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives. Stavudine is not a cure for HIV or AIDS. In fact, there is currently no known cure for HIV or AIDS. Also, stavudine is not intended to be used alone. Instead, it is used as part of an HIV “cocktail.”

Lopinavir is used for the treatment HIV infection that belongs to a class of medication also known as protease inhibitors. When HIV invades the human cell, it uses the protiens and chemicals of the victim’s cell to reproduce itself. Protease is a chemical enzyme needed by HIV to produce more viruses,when it is blocked HIV makes copies of itself that can’t infect new cells. Studies showed that protease inhibitors can relatively reduce the amount of virus in the blood and increase CD4 cell count. Thus, the main antiviral action of kaletra is to prevent subsequent infections of susceptible cells; it has no effect on cells with already integrated viral DNA. 

Lopinavir is marketed by Abbot as Kaletra in high income countries and Aluvia in low income countries. Both drugs represents a co-formulation  with a sub-therape utic dose of ritonavir, as a component of combination therapy to HIV treatment.The wondrous news and the most significant benefits to people with HIV came when protease inhibitors (PIs) were discovered and made into anti-HIV treatments. Lopinavir was developed for ease of administration when taken with other drugs together, as part of combination therapy with other antiretroviral agents. Coformulated lopinavir|ritonavir-based regimens provide adequate and durable suppression of viral load and sustained improvements in CD4+ cell counts, as demonstrated in randomised trials in antiretroviral therapy-naive and -experienced adults and children. Inspite of the positive development lopinavir has shown, still it does not cure HIV infections, that it is highly import ant not to skip a dose and follow the the exact schedule of the medication.

Lopinavir is used for the treatment of HIV-1-infected adults and children above the age of two years, in combination with other AIDS medications. However, it is not prescribe to children taking any of these medicines: Amiodarone, cisapride, flecainide, midazolam, pimozide, quinidine, salmeterol, St John’s wort, tamoxifen, thioridazine, topotecan, or voriconazole. All Protease Inhibitors have a common menuof possible side effects that you may experience. While other people experience none of them, others have a very difficult time tolerating the medications. Choosing the use of lopinavir should be based on the individual’s viral resistance testing and treatment history. Do not take more or less of this drug than prescribed, or stop taking it, even for a brief time, if not insructed by your physician. Furthermore, studies have also shown that the good effects can wear off as time goes.. This occurs because HIV replicates more of itself all the time. Every new HIV virus reproduced may be slightly different than the one it made before. The new evolution of the virus’ protease may resist the drugs that worked for viruses with the older type of protease. This is what scientists call drug resistance. Occurrence of this development, other protease inhibitors usually become less effective as well.

Abacavir is considered as the most powerful nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor(NARTI) that is currently being used for the treatment of HIV infections. Viral strains that are resistant to ziduvudine(AZT) or lamivudine(CT3) are generally sensitive to abacavir (ziagen). The fixed dose combination of abacavir with lamivudine represents a new treatment option for patients infected with HIV. It gives the HIV infected persons the convenience of one pill and once-daily dosing. It achieves comparable suppression of plasma HIV RNA with the pill’s individual components dosed twice daily and with thymidine analogs combined with lamivudine. When a cell is infected with HIV, reverse transcriptase copies the viral single stranded RNA genome into a double-stranded viral DNA. When HIV invades a cell, it takes control of that cell. HIV then compels the cell to make many more copies of t he virus. In order to make these copies, the cell uses proteins called enzymes. When the activity of these enzymes is reduced or blocked, production of HIV slows or stops. Abacavir interferes with an enzyme called reverse transcriptase (RT), which is used by HIV-infected cells to make new viruses. Since abacavir inhibits, or reduce the activity of this enzyme, this drug causes HIV-infected cells to produce fewer viruses.

Upon its approval on December 18, 1998 by the US Food and Drugs Administration, Abacavir became the fifteenth approved antiretroviral drug in the United States. Abacavir’s common side effects are well tolerated. Its  main side effect being hypersensitivity reactions, which can be dangerous or even (in some rare cases) fatal. Fortunately, genetic testing can indicate beforehand whether an individual will be hypersensitive; over 90% of patients can safely take abacavir. Mutation has developed in laboratory versions of HIV which are also resistant to other HIV-specific antiretrovirals such as lamivudine, didanosine and zalcitabine.Stavudine (Zerit) can cause unfavorable mutations that lead to virus resistance. HIV strains that are resistant protinhibitors are not likely to be resistant to abacavir.The changes in HIV that cause drug resistance are called mutations, and different mutations cause resistance to different drugs. Learn more about HIV/AIDS, early symptoms of HIV

Adherence to medication can be thought of as a decision making process that includes the consideration of the pros and cons of change. It involves evaluation on self-efficacy to change and attitudes held about the efficacy of medication treatment. This can be difficult to many HIV positive patients A quality patient-provider relationship can also be identified as an important source of adhering to HIV medications. Understanding the predicament of the majority of HIV positive persons, conceived a breakthrough in HIV treatment administration. Surely, there are ways anyone can do to better adhere to ones treatment regimens but Vonavir (Atripla) took all the burden away.

Atripala is the first multi-class

antiretroviral drug available in the United States and marked the first collaboration of two US pharmaceutical companies in combining their patented anti-HIV drugs into one product. It was approved by the Food and Drugs Administration on July 12, 2006. Atripla is the result of unprecedented effort between Gilead Sciences the manufacturer of Emtriva and Viread, with Bristol-Myers Squibb the maker of Sustiva.It combines Gilead Science’s tenofovir and emtricitabine with Bristol-Myer Squibb’s efavirenz into a fixed dose pill. Dosing of Atripla is suitable to be taken at bedtime to improve tolerability of the nervous system and it is not recommended for HIV patients under 18 years old.

Mild to moderate rash is a common side effect of efavirenz. In controlled clinical trials, 26% of patients treated with efavirenz experienced new-onset skin rash compared with 17% of patients treated in control groups. Skin discoloration, associated with emtricitabine, may also occur. ATRIPLA should be discontinued in patients developing severe rash associated with blistering, desquamation, mucosal involvement, or fever. Atripla can significantly simplify HIV drug regimen by easing the pill burden, helping to increase adherence and thus reducing potential development of viral resistance to the drugs. This may result in longer term effectiveness of the drug regimen. Learn more, symptoms of HIV