what are treatment options for hiv

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Start Treatment As Soon As Possible After Diagnosis HIV medicine is recommended for all people with HIV, regardless of how long they’ve had the virus or how healthy they... Talk to your health care provider about any medical conditions you may have or any other medicines you are taking. Let your ...

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May 10, 2022 · HIV treatment involves taking highly effective medicines called antiretroviral therapy (ART) that work to control the virus. ART is recommended for everyone with HIV, and people with HIV should start ART as soon as possible after diagnosis, even on that same day. People on ART take a combination of HIV medicines called an HIV treatment regimen.

How to cure HIV naturally?

The most effective treatment for HIV is antiretroviral therapy (ART). This is a combination of several medicines that aims to control the amount of virus in your body. Antiretroviral medicines slow the rate at which the virus grows. Taking these medicines can reduce the amount of virus in your body and help you stay healthy.

What is the best medicine for HIV?

Treatment, Care, and Prevention for People with HIV. minus. Related Pages. Routine care and treatment is the best way to keep people with HIV (PWH) healthy. PWH who take medication as prescribed can achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load (or viral suppression), resulting in effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partners.

How can I prevent getting or transmitting HIV?

Sep 15, 2018 · The National Institutes of Health (NIH) breaks these into five classes of prescription drugs: RT inhibitors, which interfere with the virus’s ability to reproduce Protease inhibitors, which help block HIV from producing infectious particles Fusion inhibitors, which help prevent HIV from entering ...

How to optimize HIV treatment?

May 20, 2017 · Today, there are more than 30 antiretroviral drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat HIV infection. When used consistently, antiretroviral therapy (ART) can reduce the amount of virus in the blood and body fluids to very low or undetectable levels (known as viral suppression).

What are the types of treatment for HIV?

What is first line treatment for HIV?

What are 2 treatments for HIV?

What is the treatment for HIV and what does that treatment do?

What is the name of the new ARV pill?

What does Second-line treatment mean?

What is the difference between hiv1 and hiv2?

What treatment is given for low CD4 count?

What is the treatment for HIV?

HIV treatment involves taking medicines that slow the progression of the virus in your body. HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, and the combination of drugs used to treat it is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART is recommended for all people living with HIV, regardless of how long they’ve had the virus or how healthy they are.

How successful is HIV treatment?

HIV treatment is most likely to be successful when you know what to expect and are committed to taking your medicines exactly as prescribed. Working with your health care provider to develop a treatment plan will help you learn more about HIV and manage it effectively.

What happens if you delay treatment for a virus?

If you delay treatment, the virus will continue to harm your immune system and put you at higher risk for developing opportunistic infections that can be life threatening.

Why do people stay on HIV medication?

Getting and staying on HIV treatment because it reduces the amount of HIV in your blood (also called the viral load) to a very low level. This keeps you healthy and prevents illness. There is also a major prevention benefit. People living with HIV who take HIV medication daily as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting HIV to their HIV-negative partners. This is called treatment as prevention.

What is drug resistance in HIV?

What Is HIV Drug Resistance? Drug resistance can be a cause of treatment failure for people living with HIV. As HIV multiplies in the body, it sometimes mutates (changes form) and produces variations of itself. Variations of HIV that develop while a person is taking ART can lead to drug-resistant strains of HIV.

How long do HIV side effects last?

Some side effects can occur once you start a medicine and may only last a few days or weeks.

How soon can you start ART for HIV?

Treatment guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that a person living with HIV begin ART as soon as possible after diagnosis. Starting ART slows the progression of HIV and can keep you healthy for many years.

What is the treatment for HIV?

However, there are many medications that can control HIV and prevent complications. These medications are called antiretroviral therapy (ART). Everyone diagnosed with HIV should be started on ART, regardless of their stage of infection or complications.

What are the services that are available to people with HIV?

Services they may provide: Arrange transportation to and from doctor appointments.

What test can help determine if you have HIV?

If you receive a diagnosis of HIV / AIDS, several tests can help your doctor determine the stage of your disease and the best treatment, including: CD4 T cell count. CD4 T cells are white blood cells that are specifically targeted and destroyed by HIV. Even if you have no symptoms, HIV infection progresses to AIDS when your CD4 T cell count dips ...

What is HIV RNA?

Viral load (HIV RNA). This test measures the amount of virus in your blood. After starting HIV treatment the goal is to have an undetectable viral load. This significantly reduces your chances of opportunistic infection and other HIV -related complications.

How to diagnose HIV?

Diagnosis. HIV can be diagnosed through blood or saliva testing. Available tests include: Antigen/antibody tests. These tests usually involve drawing blood from a vein. Antigens are substances on the HIV virus itself and are usually detectable — a positive test — in the blood within a few weeks after exposure to HIV.

Does HIV go away?

Treatment should lower your viral load so that it's undetectable in the blood. That doesn't mean your HIV is gone. Even if it can't be found in the blood, HIV is still present in other places in your body, such as in lymph nodes and internal organs.

Is HIV a life threatening illness?

Receiving a diagnosis of any life-threatening illness is devastating. The emotional, social and financial consequences of HIV / AIDS can make coping with this illness especially difficult — not only for you but also for those closest to you.

How to treat HIV?

The most effective treatment for HIV is antiretroviral therapy (ART). This is a combination of several medicines that aims to control the amount of virus in your body. Antiretroviral medicines slow the rate at which the virus grows. Taking these medicines can reduce the amount of virus in your body and help you stay healthy.

Why is HIV treatment important?

Treatment is especially important for pregnant women, people who have other infections (such as tuberculosis or hepatitis), and people who have symptoms of AIDS. Research suggests that treatment of early HIV with antiretroviral medicines has long-term benefits, such as a stronger immune system.

What happens if you get HIV late?

If HIV progresses to a late stage, treatment will be started or continued to keep your immune system as healthy as possible. If you get any diseases that point to AIDS, such as Pneumocystis pneumonia or Kaposi's sarcoma, your doctor will treat them.

Why is it important to take a medicine after HIV treatment?

Taking these medicines can reduce the amount of virus in your body and help you stay healthy. After you start treatment, it's important to take your medicines exactly as your doctor tells you. When treatment doesn't work, it is often because HIV has become resistant to the medicine.

What is the purpose of CD4+?

Monitor your CD4+ (white blood cells) counts to check the effect of the virus on your immune system.

Why should health care workers get medicine for HIV?

Health care workers who are at risk for HIV because of an accidental stick with a needle or other exposure to body fluids should get medicine to prevent infection.

How to protect your partner from HIV?

Protect your partner with HIV from other infections by staying away from him or her when you are sick.

What is the best treatment for HIV?

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the recommended HIV treatment consists of a regimen of medications called Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) breaks these into five classes of prescription drugs: RT inhibitors, which interfere with the virus’s ability to reproduce.

What does HIV stand for?

According to the government website aids.gov, HIV (which stands for human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that can cause the disease AIDS (which stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Being HIV-positive doesn’t necessarily mean you have AIDS, says aids.gov. If you or someone you love is infected with HIV or has developed AIDS, ...

What to do when you forget to take your medication?

Set alarms on your watch or phone to remind you to take your medications.

What is RT inhibitor?

RT inhibitors, which interfere with the virus’s ability to reproduce

Does Medicare cover AIDS?

There may be some exceptions in coverage, such as medications with the same active ingredient. Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) generally covers all eligible, medically necessary hospital stays, outpatient treatments, doctor visits, tests, and therapies your doctor recommends for AIDS treatment. You may be responsible for Part A and Part B ...

Do you have to have HIV to qualify for Medicare?

You must have HIV/AIDS to qualify, and you must continue to pay your Part B premium if you choose a Medicare Advantage SNP, plus any additional premium s your plan may require. If you would like more information about Medicare and HIV treatment, I’m available to answer your questions.

Can AIDS be diagnosed?

AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, can only be diagnosed by your health-care provider, according to aids.gov. AIDS treatment might begin with the ART regimen recommended for anyone with the HIV virus.

How does early HIV treatment help?

The Strategy calls for a concerted national effort to improve health outcomes for people living with HIV by establishing seamless systems to link people to treatment and care immediately after diagnosis. The Strategy also calls for efforts to support maintenance in care; increase the capacity of health and social support systems; and increase the number and diversity of professionals who provide clinical care and related services to those with HIV. Further, the Strategy supports comprehensive, patient-centered care for people living with HIV, including addressing co-occurring health conditions and challenges in meeting basic needs, such as housing, which can cause individuals to leave care and treatment.

How much of HIV can be prevented?

CDC has found that more than 90 percent of new HIV infections could be averted by diagnosing people living with HIV and ensuring they receive prompt, ongoing care and treatment.

What are the disparities in HIV treatment?

There are numerous disparities in HIV treatment and care among certain subpopulations in the U.S. For example, CDC’s report on monitoring indicates that African Americans living with diagnosed HIV infection have percentages of linkage to care and viral suppression that are lower than whites and far below national goals.

How does HIV affect the immune system?

HIV is a virus that can multiply quickly and damage the body’s immune system , making it hard to fight off infections and cancers. While no cure exists for HIV infection, effective treatment is available. Today, there are more than 30 antiretroviral drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat HIV infection. When used consistently, antiretroviral therapy (ART) can reduce the amount of virus in the blood and body fluids to very low or undetectable levels (known as viral suppression). As a result, people living with HIV who start ART early, remain on treatment, and achieve and maintain viral suppression can stay healthy and live a near-normal lifespan. Treatment also confers enormous prevention benefits—in research studies conducted to date, no case of HIV transmission has been linked to someone who had a suppressed viral load. U.S. clinical guidelines recommend that all people who are diagnosed with HIV receive treatment, regardless of how long they have had the virus or how healthy they are.

What is the HIV rate in 2020?

By 2020, the Strategy aims to increase the percentage of newly diagnosed persons linked to HIV medical care within one month of their HIV diagnosis to at least 85 percent ; increase the percentage of persons with diagnosed HIV infection who are retained in HIV medical care by at least 90 percent ; and increase the percentage of persons with diagnosed HIV infection who are virally suppressed to at least 80 percent. Further, the Strategy’s targets include reducing the percentage of persons in HIV medical care who are homeless to no more than 5 percent, and reducing the death rate among persons with diagnosed HIV infection by at least 33 percent.

How does ART help HIV?

When used consistently, antiretroviral therapy (ART) can reduce the amount of virus in the blood and body fluids to very low or undetectable levels (known as viral suppression). As a result, people living with HIV who start ART early, remain on treatment, and achieve and maintain viral suppression can stay healthy and live a near-normal lifespan.

How many people die from HIV each year?

When people with HIV do not receive the treatment and care they need, the disease worsens and eventually progresses to AIDS. Today, nearly 13,000 people with AIDS in the United States die each year. People with HIV who have not achieved viral suppression also remain at risk of transmitting the virus to others.

Available Treatment for HIV

There are now so many varieties of effective HIV medications that if one doesn’t work for you, your doctor can most likely find another that does. You’ll know a medication is “working” for you if it helps you control your viral load, but also if it works with your lifestyle and doesn’t cause unwanted side effects.

How Antiretroviral Therapy Works

Basically, each of these classes of HIV medications target the virus in a different place. Some of them gravitate towards the virus when it tries to enter the cell, while others break up HIV’s ability to replicate its genes.

Factors for Choosing HIV Medications

Doctors take into account several important details of a patient before deciding which medicines to use. This can include:

Getting Help

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with HIV, it is important to seek out treatment. Without treatment, it can be life-threatening. Talk to a doctor if you have questions about your options and what long-term care will look like.

How to diagnose HIV?

HIV infection can be diagnosed by HIV 1/2 Ag/Ab combination immunoassays. All FDA-cleared HIV tests are highly sensitive and specific. Available serologic tests can detect all known subtypes of HIV-1. The majority also detect HIV-2 and uncommon variants of HIV-1 (e.g., group O and group N).

What test is used to test for HIV?

According to an algorithm for HIV diagnosis, CDC recommends that HIV testing begin with a laboratory-based HIV-1/HIV-2 Ag/Ab combination assay, which, if repeatedly reactive, is followed by a laboratory-based assay with a supplemental HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation assay ( https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/50872 ). This algorithm confers an additional advantage because it can detect HIV-2 antibodies after the initial immunoassay. Although HIV-2 is uncommon in the United States, accurate identification is vital because monitoring and therapy for HIV-2 differs from that for HIV-1 ( 420 ). RNA testing should be performed on all specimens with reactive immunoassay but negative supplemental antibody test results to determine whether the discordance represents acute HIV infection.

What is a sexual health clinic?

STD specialty or sexual health clinics are a vital partner in reducing HIV infections in the United States. These clinics provide safety net services to vulnerable populations in need of HIV prevention services who are not served by the health care system and HIV partner service organizations. Diagnosis of an STI is a biomarker for HIV acquisition, especially among persons with primary or secondary syphilis or, among MSM, rectal gonorrhea or chlamydia ( 197 ). STD clinics perform only approximately 20% of all federally funded HIV tests nationally but identify approximately 30% of all new infections ( 414 ). Among testing venues, STD clinics are high performing in terms of linkage to HIV care within 90 days of diagnosis; during 2013–2017, the percentage of persons with a new diagnosis in an STD clinic and linked to care within 90 days increased from 55% to >90% ( 415, 415 ).

What are the challenges of HIV?

They face multiple adaptive challenges, including coping with the reactions of others to a stigmatizing illness, developing and adopting strategies to maintain physical and emotional health, initiating changes in behavior to prevent HIV transmission to others, and reducing the risk for acquiring additional STIs. Many persons will require assistance gaining access to health care and other support services and coping with changes in personal relationships.

When should a woman be tested for HIV?

All pregnant women should be tested for HIV during the first prenatal visit. A second test during the third trimester, preferably at <36 weeks’ gestation, should be considered and is recommended for women who are at high risk for acquiring HIV, women who receive health care in jurisdictions with high rates of HIV infection, and women served in clinical settings in which prenatal screening identifies ≥1 pregnant woman with HIV per 1,000 women screened ( 138 ). Diagnostic algorithms for HIV for pregnant women do not differ from those for nonpregnant women (see STI Detection Among Special Populations). Pregnant women should be informed that HIV testing will be performed as part of the routine panel of prenatal tests ( 138 ); for women who decline HIV testing, providers should address concerns that pose obstacles, discuss the benefits of testing (e.g., early HIV detection, treatment, and care for improving health of the mother and reducing perinatal transmission of HIV), and encourage testing at subsequent prenatal visits. Women who decline testing because they have had a previous negative HIV test result should be informed about the importance of retesting during each pregnancy. Women with no prenatal care should be tested for HIV at the time of delivery.

When should HIV testing be performed?

Testing for HIV should be performed at the time of STI diagnosis and treatment if not performed at the initial STI evaluation and screening ( 82, 195, 416 ).

What is the first test for HIV?

Providers should use a laboratory-based antigen/antibody (Ag/Ab) combination assay as the first test for HIV, unless persons are unlikely to follow up with a provider to receive their HIV test results; in those cases screening with a rapid POC test can be useful.

What are the different lines of HIV?

HIV-1 is well-known for its extensive genetic diversity. There are four different lineages coming under HIV-1: M, N, O, and P. The most commonly reported HIV virus across the globe is group M [2].  Group N less prevalent, reported only from Cameroon [11]. Group O is accountable for 1% of the total HIV-1 cases and is mainly found Cameroon and Gabon [12]. Group P is the rarest of all and has been identified in Cameroonian pregnant woman in France [13]. It has a prevalence of 0.06% of total HIV infections [14].

What is the role of protease inhibitors in HIV?

Protease inhibitors effectively block the functioning of protease enzymes in acutely and chronically HIV-infected CD4 cells . Inhibition of HIV protease enzymes results in the liberation of immature and noninfectious viral particles [25]. Examples of this group of drugs include lopinavir/ritonavir, indinavir, ritonavir, nelfinavir, and amprenavir.

What is the main site of HIV infection?

The main site of the attack is the immune system, especially the CD4 T-lymphocytes (CD4 cells). Once infected, the virus gradually and silently overpowers the host’s defense mechanisms, resulting in opportunistic infections and cancers that are otherwise rare. Activated and differentiated CD4 cells have a pivotal role in the activation of cell-mediated and humoral immune systems [7]. HIV infection results in the depletion of CD4 cells in the peripheral blood [8]. Among untreated patients, the depletion continues over a course of several years until the patient succumbs to AIDS.  It is the last stage of the HIV infection, and it presents itself anywhere between two and 15 years post-infection [9]. The following figure represents the timeline of HIV infection from the initial infection to the expression of AIDS-defining symptoms (Figure 2) [10].

Why is ART important for HIV?

Adherence to treatment is of paramount importance in order to achieve the full efficacy of treatment and also to prevent the incidence of drug resistance [30].

What is reverse transcriptase inhibitor?

Reverse transcriptase inhibitors are a group of drugs, which can bind and inhibit the reverse transcriptase enzyme to intercept the multiplication of HIV. There are two types of inhibitors: non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) [23] and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) [24].  Examples of this group of drugs include zidovudine, didanosine, abacavir, tenofovir, and Combivir.

Is HIV a host specific disease?

Therefore, it can easily be considered as a very host-specific infection. The specificity of pathogenesis often complicates treatment options that are currently available for HIV infection [20].  Effective management of HIV infection is possible using different combinations of available drugs. This method of treatment is collectively known as antiretroviral therapy (ART). Standard ART is comprised of a concoction of at least three medicines (termed as “highly active antiretroviral therapy” or HAART) [21]. Effective ART often helps control the multiplication of HIV in infected patients and increases the count of CD4 cells, thus, prolonging the asymptomatic phase of infection, slowing the progression of the disease, and also helps in reducing the risk of transmission. Figure 3demonstrates the percentage of HIV patients under ART [22].

Where is HIV-2 most prevalent?

HIV-2 is most commonly reported in West Africa, with Guinea-Bissau and Senegal having the highest incidence. Eight different types of HIV-2 exist, labeled HIV-A to HIV-H. Group A is reported throughout the sub-Saharan region [15]. Group B is reported more commonly in the Ivory Coast [16]. Due to the sporadic nature of the infection and incidence, C to H are categorized as “dead-end” transmissions that produce no subsequent infections [2].

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• Currently, there's no cure for HIV/AIDS. Once you have the infection, your body can't get rid of it. However, there are many medications that can control HIV and prevent complications. These medications are called antiretroviral therapy (ART). Everyone diagnosed with HIV should be started on ART, regardless of their stage of infection or complicati...

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