Two-drug antiretroviral regimens for HIV.

HIV treatment or antiretroviral therapy (ART) has traditionally consisted of three active drugs (table 1). Where individuals have continued access to HIV care, ART has allowed people with HIV to maintain an undetectable viral load and minimise the immune damage, morbidity and mortality associated with uncontrolled HIV infection. Contemporary challenges include supporting individuals to maintain optimal adherence to ART and minimising ART drug toxicity, in particular those associated with the nucleos(t)side reverse transcriptase inhibitor ART drug class1 (renal tubular dysfunction,2 osteomalacia,3 and increased cardiovascular risk4). To address these challenges, there has been a shift away from the concept of three-drug to two-drug ART regimens, thereby reducing the number of drugs used to achieve HIV viral suppression and in so doing, reducing potential drug toxicities and improving adherence.