n. an *antiretroviral drug (ARV) used, in combination with other ARVs, for treating refractory HIV infection. It acts by inhibiting integrase, an enzyme required by the virus to replicate and infect other cells. Side-effects include abdominal pain, constipation, and *lipodystrophy.
(ARV) any of a group of drugs that inhibit or slow the growth of *retroviruses, specifically HIV, and are used in the treatment of HIV infection and *AIDS. They include the *reverse transcriptase inhibitors and the *protease inhibitors (see also maraviroc; raltegravir). Treatment with a combination of antiretrovirals is known as highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).... antiretroviral drug
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