Antiretrovirals Flashcards
HIV is a lentivirus that can lead to AIDs. There are two types of HIV-1 and 2. What are some features?
HIV-1: more virulent, more infective, and is the cause of majority of HIV infections
HIV-2: lower infectivity and poor capacity for transmission. Confined to West Africa
How does HIV progress to AIDS?
Infects CD4T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells
–HIV destroys so many of these cells that the body cant fight off infections and therefore leads to AIDS
Describe the basics of tx for HIV
Called: Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HARRT)
–prolong the lives of many ppl infected
HIV replication?
Watch the video online (HHMI)
What is the most common pattern of HIV?
3 stages:
initial infection ,marked by an acute mononucelosis-like or flu-like viral infection
disease free latency period (8 years)
AIDs develops and most patients die within 2 years without therapy
HIV-1 testing is initially by what?
ELISA (Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay)
–this detects antibodies (However dont forget the window period where antibodies arent made yet)
Confirm with Western Blot
HIV RNA can be measure via PCR: used as a prognostic factor to monitor disease and effects of tx
What are the features of viral load and CD4 lymphocytes?
Higher RNA viral load
–greater risk of opportunistic infection, progression to AIDS and risk of death
CD4+ lymphocytes in the blood is a marker of disease progression and the best predictor of a patients current risk for particular opportunistic infections (normal 800-1200)
Moving on to treatment of HIV. What is the central goal of HIV treatment?
Decrease morbidity and mortality through maximum suppression of HIV replication
Second goal: increase CD4+ T cells
Viral load reduction to below limits of assay detection in an HAART-naive patient usually occurs within?
The first 12-24 weeks of therapy
What are the current guidelines in regards to starting therapy?
Initiating therapy in all patients to reduce the risk of disease progression
What conditions increase the urgency for therapy?
Pregnancy AIDS defining conditions Acute opportunistic infections HIVAN Acute recent infection HIV/HBV coinfection HIV/HCV coinfection Rapidly declining CD4 counts Higher viral loads
Prevention of perinatal transmission should be around what time?
Before 28 weeks gestation and an HIV RNA level less than 50copies/ml near delivery
–HAART is recommended for all HIV infected pregnant women
Selection of initial combination regimen should be decided how?
Regimens should be tailored for the individual patients to enhance adherence and thus improve long term treatment success
Pre treatment drug resistance testing?
6-16% prevalence of HIV drug resistance in naive patients
–therefore pre treatment testing should be done for optimal initial regimen
There are 20 approved antiretroviral drugs in 6 classes. What are these 6 classes?
NRTIs NNRTIs PIs FIs CCR5 antagonists INSTIs --for naive patients tx generally consists of two NRTIs in combo with either an INSTI, NNRTI or PI with a pharmacokinetic enhancer --results in HIV RNA decrease and CD4 increase