Treatment of HIV disease in the new millennium.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which typically consists of 3-drug combinations of antiretroviral agents, has decreased dramatically the incidence of AIDS and death among HIV-infected persons in the United States. HIV infection no longer is viewed as a death sentence. Complete suppression of viral replication through the use of HAART can reverse the immune deficits formerly thought to be inevitable. However, drug toxicity, cross-resistance, and less-than-perfect adherence to prescribed antiretroviral regimens make the medical management of the HIV-infected person complex. An overview of the current approach to antiretroviral therapy is presented in this article.