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Antiretroviral treatment (also known as antiretroviral therapy or ART) are the drugs that treat HIV. Taking ART means that people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives. ART is not a cure for HIV, but it keeps HIV under control, so it doesn’t affect your health and you can carry on with life as usual.
What does ART do for HIV infections?
Overview. People with HIV should take medicine to treat HIV as soon as possible. HIV medicine is called antiretroviral therapy, or ART. If taken as prescribed, HIV medicine reduces the amount of HIV in the body (viral load) to a very low level, which keeps the immune system working and prevents illness.
What does antiretroviral therapy ART do?
ART are medications that treat HIV. The drugs do not kill or cure the virus. However, when taken in combination they can prevent the growth of the virus. When the virus is slowed down, so is HIV disease.
What viral load is undetectable?
When copies of HIV cannot be detected by standard viral load tests, an HIV-positive person is said to have an “undetectable viral load.” For most tests used clinically today, this means fewer than 50 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood (<50 copies/mL).
How do I keep my viral load down?
These steps may include: Taking antiretroviral medication regularly and as directed. When taken properly, antiretroviral medication reduces viral load, thus decreasing the risk of transmitting HIV to others. Getting tested for STIs. Using condoms during sex. Considering PrEP. Considering PEP. Getting tested regularly.
How long does it take for antiretrovirals to work?
Most people living with HIV who start taking antiretroviral therapy daily as prescribed achieve an undetectable viral load within one to six months after beginning treatment.
Is ART same as ARV?
ART stands for antiretroviral treatment. It is also called combination therapy or HIV treatment. What are ARVs? HIV drugs are called antiretrovirals (ARVs) because HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus.
What happens if you take ARVs while negative?
“When a HIV-positive person is given ARVs, it boosts their immunity, but when a HIV-negative person takes them, it just undermines their immunity and interferes with their body organs.”Jul 5, 2020.
What is the difference between hiv1 and hiv2?
HIV-1 is the most common type of HIV and accounts for 95% of all infections, whereas HIV-2 is relatively uncommon and less infectious. HIV-2 is mainly concentrated in West Africa and the surrounding countries. HIV-2 is less fatal and progresses more slowly than HIV-1.
Can I test positive if my viral load is undetectable?
Antibodies are still present in individuals living with HIV—even people who have suppressed their viral load. That means people living with HIV will still test positive for HIV on an antibody HIV test even if their viral load is undetectable.
Can I infect someone if my viral load is undetectable?
Having an undetectable viral load does mean that there is not enough HIV in your body fluids to pass HIV on during sex. In other words, you are not infectious. For as long as your viral load stays undetectable, your chance of passing on HIV to a sexual partner is zero.
What is the name of the new ARV pill?
Early results from people taking a new antiretroviral medication called lenacapavir are promising. The long-acting drug is still at the research stage, but if the developers are able to pair it effectively with other drugs that also only needs to be taken twice a year, it could revolutionise HIV treatment.
How can you tell if someone is using Arvs?
First Stage: Acute HIV Infection Symptoms Headache. Fatigue. Aching muscles. Sore throat. Swollen lymph nodes. A red rash that doesn’t itch, usually on your torso. Fever. Ulcers (sores) in your mouth, esophagus, anus, or genitals.
Does ARVs change body shape?
Lipodystrophy, or “lipo” for short, is a collection of body shape changes in people taking antiretroviral medications (ARVs). “Lipo” refers to fat, and “dystrophy” means bad growth. These changes include fat loss, fat deposits, and metabolic changes. Fat loss occurs in the arms, legs, or face (sunken cheeks).
Why am I losing weight after ARVs?
Lipodystrophy. Taking HIV medicines can cause a problem called lipodystrophy. It is the redistribution of fat in your body. You may lose fat from your legs, arms, buttocks, or face.
What drugs are in ART therapy?
Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) Abacavir, or ABC (Ziagen) Didanosine, or ddl (Videx) Emtricitabine, or FTC (Emtriva) Lamivudine, or 3TC (Epivir) Stavudine, or d4T (Zerit) Tenofovir alafenamide, or TAF (Vemlidy) Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, or TDF (Viread) Zidovudine or ZDV (Retrovir).
What will happen if I skip my ARV for 2 days?
Missing doses of HIV medicines can reduce their usefulness and increase the possibility of developing drug resistance, which makes certain HIV drugs lose their effectiveness. If you realize you have missed a dose, go ahead and take the medication as soon as you can, then take the next dose at your usual scheduled time.
Does ARVs make u gain weight?
Weight gain is a common side effect of antiretroviral therapy (ART). On average, people put on about 4 pounds during the first 2 years of their treatment. Most of that gain happens in the first year.
What is the best time to take ARVs?
Efavirenz needs to be taken 1-2 hours before you sleep, so you reduce side effects.
Can ARV cause your face to be dark?
This is a skin condition in which the skin reacts to exposure to the sun by turning darker in color. It’s most common in people of color, but anyone with HIV is susceptible to photodermatitis. If you’re taking medications to improve immune strength, you may have this reaction as a side effect.
Can I infect someone while on ARVs?
You can’t transmit HIV if you take ARVs correctly and are virally suppressed. Zero risk of HIV transmission via condomless sex. That is what the world’s largest study among HIV-positive gay men, who are on effective antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, has found.
Does stress affect viral load?
Stress and HIV Studies have shown that chronic stress, traumatic events, and depression can all lead to an increased viral load and decreased CD4 counts, and therefore, accelerate HIV disease progression.
