[Current role of tenofovir in clinical medicine].

Standard antiretroviral therapy (ART) consists of a combination of three active drugs. The selection of these drugs varies considerably according to the clinical scenario. The "gold standard" in patients initiating ART is tenofovir (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC)/efavirenz. TDF/FTC is also considered a combination of choice when, for various reasons, ART is initiated with a boosted protease inhibitor. Abacavir and lamivudine (ABC/3TC) is also considered a combination of choice in most clinical practice guidelines. HLA-B*5701 determination minimizes the possibility of hypersensitivity of ABC and is a positive datum for the use of ABC/3TC. However, negative findings from the data collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV drugs (DAD) and ACTG5202 studies on this combination should be bourne in mind. TDF can also be a good choice for substituting another nucleoside analogue to avoid or reverse certain toxicities in patients with good virological control. Substituting thymidine analogues for TDF improves lipid profile and produces partial recuperation of subcutaneous fat. Because of the profile of resistance to TDF, this drug continues to be active in most patients with one, or even several, therapeutic failures. TDF plays and especially important role in patients coinfected with hepatotrophic viruses. In summary, TDF is a widely used drug in clinical practice due to its excellent combination of effectiveness, durability and tolerability, in addition to its ease of administration in a single daily dose, whether in its individual formation (Viread), or associated with FTC (Truvada), or with FTC and efavirenz (Atripla).