what is the best treatment for hiv aids

Medication

HIV treatment involves taking medicine that reduces the amount of HIV in your body. HIV medicine is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). There is no effective cure for HIV. But with proper medical care, you can control HIV. Most people can get the virus under control within six months.

Nutrition

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.

How to optimize HIV treatment?

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. Clinician Treatment, Care and Prevention Materials

How do you care for someone with HIV?

Feb 08, 2022 · The treatment of HIV/AIDS with medicines is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). It is recommended for everyone who has HIV. The medicines do not cure HIV infection, but they do make it a manageable chronic condition. They also reduce the risk of …

What is the cure for HIV?

Mar 29, 2019 · 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.

What medications are used for HIV treatment?

Jan 07, 2020 · The medicines used to treat HIV are called “antiretroviral treatment,” or ART. There are different kinds of ART medicines. When you are on ART for HIV, you need to take medicine every day. You may...

Can HIV be cured completely?

There is no effective cure for HIV. But with proper medical care, you can control HIV. Most people can get the virus under control within six months. Taking HIV medicine does not prevent transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases.

How do you cure HIV immediately?

PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, is a short course of HIV medicines taken very soon after a possible exposure to HIV to prevent the virus from taking hold in your body. You must start it within 72 hours (3 days) after a possible exposure to HIV, or it won't work.Apr 28, 2021

Can HIV be cured at early stage?

Though there is no cure for HIV, early diagnosis can aid in timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy that can stop the virus from damaging the immune system. An HIV patient who has received timely treatment can live a normal and long life without progressing to late stage HIV.Mar 22, 2020

Can stage 4 HIV be treated?

There is no cure for HIV, but treatment with HIV medicines (called antiretroviral therapy or ART) can slow or prevent HIV from advancing from one stage to the next. HIV medicines help people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. One of the main goals of ART is to reduce a person's viral load to an undetectable level.Aug 20, 2021

What is the right time to take Arvs?

Taking your medicines at the right time, as close as possible to the same time each day. Usually, this means taking the drug within a two-hour window (up to one hour either side of the set time). Following any instructions about food.Jul 4, 2019

What is the difference between hiv1 and hiv2?

Abstract. Two HIV virus types exist: HIV-1 is pandemic and aggressive, whereas HIV-2 is confined mainly to West Africa and less pathogenic. Despite the fact that it has been almost 40 years since the discovery of AIDS, there is still no cure or vaccine against HIV.Sep 5, 2019

What is HIV treatment?

HIV treatment involves taking medicine that reduces the amount of HIV in your body. HIV medicine is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). There is n...

When should I start treatment?

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 vir...

What if I delay treatment?

HIV will continue to harm your immune system. This will put you at higher risk for developing AIDS. Learn more about AIDS and opportunistic infecti...

What are the benefits of taking my HIV medicine every day as prescribed?

Treatment Reduces the Amount of HIV in the Blood The amount of HIV in the blood is called viral load. Taking your HIV medicine as prescribed will h...

Does HIV medicine cause side effects?

HIV medicine can cause side effects in some people. However, not everyone experiences side effects. The most common side effects are Nausea and vom...

Will HIV treatment interfere with my hormone therapy?

There are no known drug interactions between HIV medicine and hormone therapy. Talk to your health care provider if you are worried about taking HI...

What if my treatment is not working?

Your health care provider may change your prescription. A change is not unusual because the same treatment does not affect everyone in the same way.

Sticking to my treatment plan is hard. How can I deal with the challenges?

Tell your health care provider right away if you’re having trouble sticking to your plan. Together you can identify the reasons you’re skipping med...

What to do if you think you have HIV?

If you think you might have HIV infection, you're likely to start by seeing your family doctor. You may be referred to an infectious disease specialist — who additionally specializes in treating HIV / AIDS.

What drugs are used to make copies of HIV?

Combination drugs also are available, such as emtricitabine/tenofovir (Truvada) and emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (Descovy). Protease inhibitors (PIs) inactivate HIV protease, another protein that HIV needs to make copies of itself.

What is the CD4 T cell count?

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 below 200. Viral load (HIV RNA). This test measures the amount of virus in your blood.

What are some ways to reduce stress?

Mind-body practices. Practices such as yoga, meditation and tai chi have been shown to reduce stress, as well as improve blood pressure and quality of life. While they need more study, these practices may be helpful if you're living with HIV / AIDS.

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.

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.

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.

How to help someone with HIV?

If your partner has HIV: 1 Provide emotional support. Don't be afraid to discuss the disease. Often people with HIV need to talk. 2 Protect yourself against HIV infection and other infections by not sharing needles or having unprotected sex. 3 Protect your partner with HIV from other infections by staying away from him or her when you are sick.

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.

How to keep your immune system strong?

Keep your immune system strong by eating right, quitting smoking, and learning how to avoid infection. Monitor your CD4+ (white blood cells) counts to check the effect of the virus on your immune system. See a counselor to help you handle the strong emotions and stress that can follow an HIV diagnosis.

How to prevent HIV infection?

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. Also, medicine may prevent HIV infection in a person who has been raped or was accidentally exposed to the body fluids of a person who may have HIV.

Can HIV be used as a complementary medicine?

Some people with HIV may use complementary medicine to help with fatigue and weight loss caused by HIV infection and to reduce the side effects caused by antiretroviral therapy (ART). Talk to your doctor before using them. Some complementary therapies for other problems may actually be harmful.

How does HIV medicine help the immune system?

HIV/AIDS medicines reduce the amount of HIV (viral load) in your body, which helps by. Giving your immune system a chance to recover. Even though there is still some HIV in your body, your immune system should be strong enough to fight off infections and certain HIV-related cancers. Reducing the risk that you will spread HIV to others.

What does HIV stand for?

What is HIV/AIDS? HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It harms your immune system by destroying CD4 cells. These are a type of white blood cells that fight infection. The loss of these cells makes it hard for your body to fight off infections and certain HIV-related cancers. Without treatment, HIV can gradually destroy ...

What is ART treatment?

What is antiretroviral therapy (ART)? The treatment of HIV/AIDS with medicines is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). It is recommended for everyone who has HIV. The medicines do not cure HIV infection, but they do make it a manageable chronic condition. They also reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others.

Does HIV affect CD4 cells?

Some HIV/AIDS medicines interfere with HIV's ability to infect CD4 immune system cells: CCR5 antagonists and post-attachment inhibitors block different molecules on the CD4 cells. To infect a cell, HIV has to bind to two types of molecules on the cell's surface. Blocking either of these molecules prevents HIV from entering the cells.

What is an attachment inhibitor?

Attachment inhibitors bind to a specific protein on the outer surface of HIV. This prevents HIV from entering the cell. In some cases, people take more than one medicine: Pharmacokinetic enhancers boost the effectiveness of certain HIV/AIDS medicines. A pharmacokinetic enhancer slows the breakdown of the other medicine.

What is the difference between PEP and PEP?

HIV medicines are not just used for treatment. Some people take them to prevent HIV. PrEP (pre- exposure prophylaxis) is for people who don't already have HIV but are at very high risk of getting it. PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is for people who have possibly been exposed to HIV. NIH: Office of AIDS Research.

What is the name of the drug that blocks reverse transcriptase?

This prevents HIV from copying itself, which reduces the amount of HIV in the body. Several medicines do this: Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) block an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) bind to and later change reverse transcriptase.

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.

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.

What happens if your CD4 is low?

If your CD4 cell count falls below a certain level, you are at risk of getting an opportunistic infection. These are infections that don’t normally affect people with healthy immune systems but that can infect people with immune systems weakened by HIV infection.

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.

Can HIV cause 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. With drug resistance, HIV medicines that previously controlled ...

What is drug resistance testing?

Drug-resistance testing identifies which, if any, HIV medicines won’t be effective against your specific strain of HIV. Drug-resistance testing results help determine which HIV medicines to include in an HIV treatment regimen. Taking HIV medication every day, exactly as prescribed helps prevent drug resistance.

What is the virus that causes AIDS?

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV stands for H uman I mmunodeficiency V irus. HIV makes it hard for your body to fight off sickness. There are cells in your blood called “CD4 cells” or “T cells.”. These cells help protect your body from disease.

What is abacavir sulfate?

abacavir sulfate (also called ABC) * Cimduo, Combivir, Descovy, Epzicom, Temixys, Trizivir, and Truvada are combination medicines. For more information about the risks and side effects for each medicine, check Drugs@FDA. This information does not give the specific side effects or warnings for each medicine.

Does HIV kill CD4 cells?

HIV kills these cells. There are medicines that you can take to reduce the amount of HIV and increase the CD4 cells in your body. These medicines do not cure HIV, but can help you live a longer, healthier life. These medicines also lower the risk of giving HIV to someone else.

Can you breastfeed if you have HIV?

You should not breastfeed if you are HIV-positive because HIV can be passed to your baby through breast milk. Some medicines may reduce how well some hormonal birth control works. Patients who could become pregnant should talk to their healthcare provider about birth control and what medicines are best for them.

Can you get sick from taking HIV?

Your medicines may not work if you skip a dose or do not stick to your schedule. Over time, you can get sick if you do not take your medicine s as directed. Your HIV may become resistant to your medicines.

Can lactic acid cause liver problems?

These medicines may cause lactic acidosis (too much acid in the blood). These medicines may cause serious liver, pancreas, or kidney problems. If you have kidney problems or liver problems, such as hepatitis, talk to your healthcare provider before taking these medicines. These medications are taken by mouth.

Can CYP3A inhibitors interact with other medications?

CYP3A inhibitors may interact with many different medicines. Some interactions can be serious. Tell your healthcare provider about all medicines you take, including prescriptions, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, like St. John’s Wort.

What are the best medications 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: 1 RT inhibitors, which interfere with the virus’s ability to reproduce 2 Protease inhibitors, which help block HIV from producing infectious particles 3 Fusion inhibitors, which help prevent HIV from entering cells in the body 4 Integrase inhibitors, which also help stop an enzyme the virus needs to reproduce 5 Multidrug combinations, which combine two or more ART medications

What is Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan?

Depending on where you live, you may be eligible to enroll in a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan (SNP) designed specifically for people with HIV/AIDS.

Is there a cure for HIV?

While there is no cure for HIV, there are HIV treatment options that help slow the virus’s ability to reproduce, and increase your body’s ability to fight off infection reports the National Institute of Health (NIH) Library of Medicine. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the recommended HIV treatment consists of a regimen ...

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.

What is Ryan White HIV?

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is a federally funded program that provides services and support for those living with HIV. Its AIDS Drug Assistance Program provides medications to those with limited or no health coverage.

What is a PAP program?

Prescription assistance programs . A variety of prescription assistance programs (PAPs) are available to people taking HIV medications. These programs provide discounts or funds to help cover the cost of HIV treatment. Each PAP maintains its own requirements for participants, such as proof of need for the medication.

What is Medicaid insurance?

Medicaid is a state and federal partnership that provides insurance coverage to low-income individuals, seniors, those with disabilities, and others who qualify. While coverage varies from state to state, Medicaid is an important source of coverage for many individuals living with HIV.

Is HIV a generic drug?

Generic drugs. Many HIV medications are new. That means pharmaceutical companies still maintain the rights to the medication’s patent, and as a result, a generic option isn’t available. Generic medications are often less expensive than brand-name drugs.

Can HIV save money?

A person living with HIV may be able to save a significant amount of money if they understand a few things about cost. These things include how HIV drugs are covered by insurance and the resources that are available to help manage the often high costs associated with lifelong therapies.

Does insurance cover HIV?

Some insurance companies don’t cover newer HIV treatments. If a healthcare provider prescribes one of these medications to someone whose insurance won’t cover it, that person will have to pay for it out of their own pocket. In this case, finding the best price for their medication may be very important.

Why do medications vary by location?

Medication costs can vary by location. One common reason for this is how Medicaid and Medicare funds are used in the region where a person lives. State governments receive these funds from the federal government, and they can determine how and to whom they allot these funds.

Diagnosis

Treatment

Clinical Trials

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Alternative Medicine

Coping and Support

Preparing For Your Appointment