Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the infection that causes a disease called AIDS (Acquired immune-deficiency syndrome). HIV is a chronic condition that you will live with your whole life; however, there have been many medical advances in treatment, making this condition much easier to live with in the long-term.
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Medical Therapy
Know that the medical treatments for HIV have improved dramatically. While it used to be a disease that led to death within a number of years, it is now more similar to other chronic diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure. When HIV is appropriately treated from the outset, with the new medical therapies that are available, it is something you can live with for a lifetime; therefore, the disease has a much better outlook for patients than it used to. If you suspect you may have HIV, it is always best to get a blood test to know about it sooner rather than later. This is because, the sooner treatment is instigated, the better when it comes to prognosis. In addition, you are less likely to infect others if you are diagnosed early. If you are diagnosed with HIV, you will be put under the care of a specialty physician — someone who is extremely knowledgeable about all of the latest options for HIV treatment and management.
Antiretroviral therapy
This is something offered to all patients diagnosed with HIV. It works to prevent replication of the virus within your own body, as well as to prevent transmission to others. When taken exactly as prescribed, and not skipping doses, it is an extremely effective treatment. Note that compliance with the medication regimen is key. If you start missing doses, the HIV virus in your body will become resistant to the medication. What this means is that the medication will no longer work for you in the future if you fail to take it regularly, because the virus will learn how to overcome it. Treatment regimens vary between patients and depending upon the severity of the disease; however, most commonly you will need to take between one to four pills per day. It is important not only to take the correct number of pills each day, as prescribed by your doctor, but also to take them at the correct time. Once you begin HIV treatments, you will need to stay on them for the rest of your life or until instructed to stop by a physician.
Be aware of medication
There are a wide variety of antiretroviral medications that are now available for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Which ones your doctor prescribes to you will depend on a number of factors, including your age, any co-existing illnesses, and the severity of your disease. Some medications commonly used for HIV include: NNRTIs (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors) NRTIs (nucleoside or nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors) INSTIs (integrase strand transfer inhibitors) PIs (protease inhibitors) HIV treatments work by targeting the genetic material of the virus within cells and preventing it from replicating any further.
Understand the goals
There are several reasons to receive antiretroviral treatment for your HIV. Some of the biggest reasons include: To delay the rate of progression of the illness. To create the minimum risk possible of transmission to your sexual partner, if you are sexually active. To keep up your overall health. The biggest risk with HIV is not the disease itself, but the fact that it attacks your immune system, which then puts you at risk for catching a number of other infections that most people are immune to (but your immune system becomes too weak to fight them off).
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