Multiple co-administered antiretrovirals (cART)

Multiple co-administered antiretrovirals refers to the clinical strategy of using a combination of at least three different medications to suppress the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (NIH, 2023). This approach, known as Combination Antiretroviral Therapy (cART) or Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), aims to reduce the viral load to undetectable levels and facilitate immune system recovery (WHO, 2021). The regimen typically combines drugs from various classes, such as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs), and protease inhibitors (StatPearls, 2023). By attacking the virus at multiple stages of its life cycle, the therapy prevents the emergence of drug-resistant strains, which is a significant risk with monotherapy (PubMed, 2022). While it has significantly reduced HIV-related morbidity and mortality, the use of multiple agents increases the risk of drug-drug interactions and metabolic side effects (Mayo Clinic, 2023). Common side effects include lipodystrophy, renal toxicity, and decreased bone mineral density depending on the specific agents used (NIH, 2023). This therapeutic strategy has transformed HIV from a terminal illness into a manageable chronic condition (WHO, 2021). However, it requires strict lifelong adherence to maintain viral suppression and prevent treatment failure (StatPearls, 2023). Because this term describes a clinical protocol rather than a specific biological entity, it is not classified as a single molecular target.

Other names

Combination antiretroviral therapyHighly active antiretroviral therapyHAARTARTHIV cocktailCombined antiretroviral therapy

Combination therapy works by simultaneously inhibiting multiple essential steps of the HIV replication cycle, including reverse transcription of viral RNA, integration of viral DNA into the host genome, and the proteolytic processing of viral polyproteins (StatPearls, 2023; NIH, 2023).