Dolutegravir (DTG), elvitegravir (EVG) and raltegravir (RAL), are members of latest class of antiretrovirals (ARV) available to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTI). INSTIs are potent inhibitors of the HIV integrase enzyme with IC90/95 values in the low nanogram per milliliter range and they retain antiviral activity against strains of HIV with acquired resistance to other classes of ARVs. Each of the INSTIs have unique pharmacokinetic / pharmacodynamic properties, influencing their role in clinical use in specific subsets of patients. RAL and DTG have minimal drug-drug interaction profiles, as their metabolism has minimal cytochrome P450 (CYP) involvement. Conversely, EVG metabolism occurs primarily via CYP3A4 and requires pharmacokinetic boosting to achieve systemic exposures amenable to once daily dosing. EVG and DTG have the added benefit of the availability of fixed dose combination tablets, allowing for convenient and simplified ARV regimens. RAL is the only INSTI to be listed as a preferred agent on the current United States perinatal guidelines. All three of the INSTI agents are recommended regimens for treatment-naïve individuals on the United States Adult and Adolescent HIV treatment guidelines. This review summarizes and compares the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the INSTI agents, and describes specific pharmacokinetic considerations for special patient conditions: hepatic impairment, renal dysfunction, pregnancy and co-infections.