HIV, or the human immunodeficiency virus, attacks the immune system and destroys certain immune cells that are vital to fight off infections. As a result, a person infected with HIV is susceptible to other infections, diseases and complications. The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, is the final stage of HIV infection. The HIV epidemic began in early 1980s and today, after extensive research, several treatment options are available to treat the disease, although none of them can actually cure the the infection.
Lifestyle Changes
It is important for an HIV positive individual to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The Mayo Clinic suggests that the patient should abstain from smoking and illicit drugs and try to lead a stress-free life. Other recommendations include eating a healthy diet, drinking pure water, washing hands and exercising regularly. These measures can help increase the lifespan of the infected individual by preventing other life-threatening infections.
Antiretroviral Drugs
According to the New York Times Health Guide, doctors recommend drug therapy for patients who have a low count of immune cells and are committed to taking all their medications. Some people, including pregnant women and people with kidney or neurological problems, may need treatment regardless of their immune cell count.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 31 drugs to treat HIV infection. These drugs suppress the amount of virus in the blood. As a result, the infected individuals can lead longer and healthier lives. However, these individuals can still transmit the virus and must continuously take antiretroviral drugs.
According to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), there are five classes of antiretrovirals: nucleotide reverse transcriptase, non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase, protease inhibitors, fusion/entry inhibitors and integrase inhibitors. Another HIV/AIDS drug class known as maturation inhibitors is still in development.
Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
HIV has a tendency to develop drug resistance quickly, especially if only one drug is taken. To combat this problem, NIAID-supported researchers have developed highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) that involves taking three or more antiretroviral drugs at the same time.
The choice of drugs in the combination depends on the availability and price of drugs, the number of pills and the side effects of the drugs. The most common drug combination has two nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors in combination with either a non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor or a protease inhibitor. Some antiretroviral drugs have been combined into one pill, which is known as a "fixed dose combination." This reduces the number of pills to be taken each day.
