HIV-1 protease inhibitors: A review

Deaths due to AIDS are declining at remarkable rates in the developed world, largely because of promising new therapies that include protease inhibitors (PIs). The PIs are most effective in suppressing HIV-1 when used in combination with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. The use of the PIs in combination regimens for the treatment of HIV infection has led to decreased hospital admissions, fewer opportunistic infections, and a total savings to the health care system. Current guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services and the International AIDS Society-USA recommend the preferred regimen as one containing a highly active PI (eg, ritonavir, indinavir, or nelfinavir) and two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.