Types of medicine
What Is an Antiretroviral? How HIV Medicines Work
Antiretroviral · say it: AN-tee-RET-roh-VY-rulAlso written: ARV, antiretroviral therapy, ART, HAART, HIV medicine
Short answer
An antiretroviral is a medicine that stops HIV from multiplying. Combinations of them, called ART, keep HIV under control long-term.
What it means
Antiretrovirals are medicines that block HIV at different steps of its life cycle, so it cannot multiply. They are usually taken as a combination of two or three medicines, often in one tablet, called antiretroviral therapy (ART). Taken every day as prescribed, ART can lower the virus in the blood to undetectable levels, protect the immune system and prevent passing HIV to sexual partners. Some are also used to prevent HIV (PrEP and PEP) and for hepatitis B.
Their labels highlight the importance of taking every dose, because missed doses can let the virus become resistant. They also list many drug interactions, including with some acid reducers, supplements, St John's wort and other medicines, and warn about immune reconstitution syndrome when the immune system recovers. Some carry warnings about hepatitis B flaring if stopped.
Antiretroviral is a specific type of antiviral, aimed at retroviruses like HIV.
Where you may see it
- 'Drug interactions' and 'Warnings' sections of HIV medicine labels
- HIV clinic letters listing an ART regimen
- Pharmacy medication reviews
📄 How it looks on a report
Patient on antiretroviral therapy; viral load undetectable.
🙅 What it does not mean
- 'Undetectable' does not mean HIV has gone; ART still needs to be taken.
- It does not mean you can stop when you feel well.
- Antiretrovirals do not protect against other sexually transmitted infections.
🎯 Check yourself
Which of these is the right meaning of “Antiretroviral”?
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Antiretroviral”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Artemether and Lumefantrine
an antimalarial medicine, which is a fixed combination of two blood-stage antimalarial ingredients (artemether, an artemisinin derivative, and lumefantrine)
- Dolutegravir
an HIV-1 integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), a type of HIV medicine
- Lamivudine
An antiviral medicine of the nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor type, used here for hepatitis B
- Omeprazole
a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), a type of medicine that lowers the amount of acid in the stomach
- Pantoprazole
a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), a medicine that reduces the amount of acid the stomach makes
- Rifampin
an antibiotic of the rifamycin type
- Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
A nucleotide analog medicine. The label calls it an HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor and an HBV reverse transcriptase inhibitor. The FDA class is not listed.
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Antiretroviral” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “antiretroviral therapy”
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.