What type of therapy includes drugs that form a cocktail to combat HIV?

The correct answer is antiretroviral therapy, which specifically refers to the use of medications designed to treat HIV. This type of therapy involves a combination of at least three antiretroviral medications that work together to suppress the HIV virus in the body. By using a "cocktail" of drugs, antiretroviral therapy helps reduce the viral load, improve immune function, and significantly decrease the chances of HIV transmission.

In contrast, antihypertensive therapy is focused on managing high blood pressure, utilizing different classes of medications that do not affect HIV. Antimicrobial therapy targets infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or parasites, but it is not specifically designed for viral infections such as HIV. Analgesic therapy is intended for pain relief and does not address viral infections or their treatments. Therefore, antiretroviral therapy is uniquely suited for combating HIV, making it the correct answer in this context.