tenofovir + emtricitabine or lamivudine + zidovudine

This entry refers to a combination antiretroviral therapy regimen for HIV infection, consisting of either tenofovir plus emtricitabine, or lamivudine plus zidovudine. These are two distinct dual-drug combinations used as part of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for the treatment and prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Both combinations act by inhibiting the reverse transcriptase enzyme, which is essential for viral replication in HIV. Tenofovir and emtricitabine are both nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), as are lamivudine and zidovudine. These regimens are recommended in various international guidelines as backbone components of first-line HIV treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The drugs do not cure HIV but suppress viral replication, improve immune function, and reduce the risk of disease progression.