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Hiv Treatment: What you need to know about antiretroviral therapy

HIV treatment: what you need to know about antiretroviral therapy

The HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection is a dangerous condition that affects the immune system and gradually weakens it throughout the years.

Eventually, HIV infection develops into AIDS, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, which is characterized by a severe failure of the body’s immune system. A person with AIDS suffers from frequent and violent infections, and any of them can be deadly for the patient.

The good news is that the described scenario takes place only when HIV remains untreated, but modern antiretroviral therapy allows halting the progression of the disease.

So, how does it work?

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is an HIV treatment approach that consists of several medicines that have to be taken daily to suppress the replication of HIV.

The vast majority of antiretroviral medications work by blocking the enzymes that the virus uses to make copies of itself inside the body’s immune cells. Some other compounds work by blocking the receptors that the virus needs to enter the immune cells. Eventually, this leads to a decrease in one’s viral load (the number of viruses an HIV-positive person has), speed of disease progression, and risk of HIV transmission.

Sadly, HIV treatment isn’t a permanent cure from the infection. The virus will still be present in the HIV-positive person’s body, but its impact on the immune system will be significantly reduced. In other words, antiretroviral therapy allows postponing AIDS (late-stage HIV infection) far into the future, avoiding its complications.

It’s recommended to start HIV treatment as soon as possible after confirming the diagnosis, but the specific approach as to which medications to use will be different from one person to another. For instance, this will depend on his or her general health, possible interactions with other medications, and so on. Consulting with an experienced professional is essential for the success of HIV treatment.

 

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with HIV infection, don’t despair and don’t hesitate: make an appointment with a qualified infection specialist to start treatment as soon as possible.

#hivtreatment #treat&beat 

Call us to make an appointment: (954) 776-9992 or go online at infectionsmanaged.org

 

Read More:

https://infectionsmanaged.org/what-is-hiv/

https://infectionsmanaged.org/hiv-treatment-numbers-that-make-you-think/

https://infectionsmanaged.org/hiv-positive-what-does-this-mean-and-what-can-be-done/