lamivudine
Noun A synthetic nucleoside analog that inhibits the reverse transcriptase enzyme of retroviruses, particularly HIV. It is used as an antiretroviral medication, often in combination with other drugs, to manage HIV infection and AIDS.
Lamivudine is used as a proper noun, the name of a specific pharmaceutical compound. It is typically used in medical, pharmacological, and public health contexts. - The doctor prescribed a regimen containing lamivudine. - Lamivudine is a key component of many first-line HIV treatment protocols. - The study compared the efficacy of regimens with and without lamivudine.
- Combination Therapy: is almost exclusively used in combination with other antiretroviral agents (e.g., zidovudine, tenofovir) to form a complete treatment regimen, a standard known as Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). Using it alone is not recommended as it can lead to rapid viral resistance.
- Prophylactic Use: In certain contexts, is also used for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) or to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV during childbirth.
- 3TC: This is a common abbreviation and brand name for lamivudine.
- Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor (NRTI): This is the drug class to which lamivudine belongs.
- Antiretroviral: A broader term for drugs used against retroviruses like HIV; is one type of antiretroviral.
- 3TC (This is a direct synonym as it is an alternative name for the same drug compound).
Lamivudine has a single, specific meaning as an antiretroviral drug. It does not have idiomatic or phrasal verb uses. Its primary and only common context is the treatment and management of HIV/AIDS and, in some regions, hepatitis B infection (though typically at a different dose).
- a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that is very effective in combination with zidovudine in treating AIDS and HIV