Treatment of HIV and AIDS
So far one can not cure the HIV disease. But there are now more than 20 drugs for the replication of HIV, and are located in the new development.
The modern combination therapies (also: ART = antiretroviral therapy, or HAART = Highly active ART) can oppose some of the virus, prolong the lives of people living with HIV and significantly improve quality of life. HIV from the body, so to heal, but they can not. In order to prevent the occurrence of life-threatening diseases, the drugs must be taken for life.Classes of drugs in combination therapy
Like all viruses, HIV also requires so-called host cells in order to reproduce. These include the CD4 helper cells of the immune system. The virus initially docked to the cells and penetrate into it, and then inject their own genetic information, so that the cells produce new viruses. The anti-HIV drugs are based upon different points of the process and can be divided into several groups of so:Entry inhibitorsNRTI (nucleoside or Nukleotidale Reverse-Transkriptase-Inhibitoren/-Hemmer)NNRTI (non-nucleoside Reverse-Transkriptase-Inhibitoren/-Hemmer)Integrase inhibitorsPI (protease inhibitors)Crucial: different drugs are combined
If all these drugs may curb the multiplication of HIV strongly - why do you need more in combination? It's simple: None of the drugs can prevent the virus production completely and permanently. The reason: Error copying the continuous development of the virus variants (mutations), including those that proliferate in spite of a drug because they have changes in the enzymes that are to be blocked by the drugs.
If only one drug given (monotherapy), multiplies after weeks or months, such virus variant sharply, while the other variants fail on medication until finally the majority of virus in the body of the infected individual has the changed plan. The drug is no longer effective. One speaks in this case of a resistance of the virus to the drug. You can prevent this process by co-administration of multiple drugs: If an HIV mutation cut off the access of a drug, just picks up another. With the administration of the three drugs can be prevented in general the formation of resistance for a long time.
The drugs cause, ideally, that the formation of new viruses is completely suppressed - if no new viruses are produced, also ensures that no mutants. The number of free virus in the blood, viral load, decreases (in the best case is no longer detectable HIV) and the number of helper cells increases - the immune system recovers. To achieve this goal, the therapy must be taken according to regulations. Then you can usually live long with HIV - how long exactly impossible to say yet.
Prerequisite for optimal effectiveness, however, that the treatment planned from the beginning and is well matched to the patient or the patient. The greater the experience of the physician or the physician with HIV therapy, the better and the ongoing success of the therapy. Why should the medical treatment of people living with HIV / AIDS always follow HIV specialist practices or HIV clinics.Side Effects
The side effects of treatment vary depending on the drug and the patient or patient. Short-term side effects such as diarrhea and headaches usually decrease after a few weeks and are usually treatable. And also the long-term side effects such as painful inflammation of the nerves in the legs (neuropathy) or disorders of lipid metabolism and the fat composition of the body (lipodystrophy), the HIV infection did earlier manifests outwardly, can be mixed with modern drugs rather avoid or through a get a grip on changing the combination. Basically, the benefit of treatment clearly outweigh its side effects: they not only prolong life, but also improves the quality of life of HIV-infected people.HIV treatment and transmission of infection
A stable and successful HIV therapy lowers the concentration of HIV (viral load) and the number of infected cells in the body fluids and mucous membranes, and thus the risk of infection for others. One does have long exploited for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.
In relation to the prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, antiretroviral therapy (ART) may, under certain conditions play an important role:
The viral load of the HIV-positive partner is at least six months under the detection limit.
The antiretroviral drugs are taken consistently.
There is no mucosal defects, for example, due to further sexually transmitted infections (STIs) before.
Checked these conditions are, however, usually only in partnerships with close medical supervision. For people who do not live in a committed relationship or outside of an existing partnership have other sexual partners, condom use is recommended for protection against HIV infection continues.
So far one can not cure the HIV disease. But there are now more than 20 drugs for the replication of HIV, and are located in the new development.
The modern combination therapies (also: ART = antiretroviral therapy, or HAART = Highly active ART) can oppose some of the virus, prolong the lives of people living with HIV and significantly improve quality of life. HIV from the body, so to heal, but they can not. In order to prevent the occurrence of life-threatening diseases, the drugs must be taken for life.Classes of drugs in combination therapy
Like all viruses, HIV also requires so-called host cells in order to reproduce. These include the CD4 helper cells of the immune system. The virus initially docked to the cells and penetrate into it, and then inject their own genetic information, so that the cells produce new viruses. The anti-HIV drugs are based upon different points of the process and can be divided into several groups of so:Entry inhibitorsNRTI (nucleoside or Nukleotidale Reverse-Transkriptase-Inhibitoren/-Hemmer)NNRTI (non-nucleoside Reverse-Transkriptase-Inhibitoren/-Hemmer)Integrase inhibitorsPI (protease inhibitors)Crucial: different drugs are combined
If all these drugs may curb the multiplication of HIV strongly - why do you need more in combination? It's simple: None of the drugs can prevent the virus production completely and permanently. The reason: Error copying the continuous development of the virus variants (mutations), including those that proliferate in spite of a drug because they have changes in the enzymes that are to be blocked by the drugs.
If only one drug given (monotherapy), multiplies after weeks or months, such virus variant sharply, while the other variants fail on medication until finally the majority of virus in the body of the infected individual has the changed plan. The drug is no longer effective. One speaks in this case of a resistance of the virus to the drug. You can prevent this process by co-administration of multiple drugs: If an HIV mutation cut off the access of a drug, just picks up another. With the administration of the three drugs can be prevented in general the formation of resistance for a long time.
The drugs cause, ideally, that the formation of new viruses is completely suppressed - if no new viruses are produced, also ensures that no mutants. The number of free virus in the blood, viral load, decreases (in the best case is no longer detectable HIV) and the number of helper cells increases - the immune system recovers. To achieve this goal, the therapy must be taken according to regulations. Then you can usually live long with HIV - how long exactly impossible to say yet.
Prerequisite for optimal effectiveness, however, that the treatment planned from the beginning and is well matched to the patient or the patient. The greater the experience of the physician or the physician with HIV therapy, the better and the ongoing success of the therapy. Why should the medical treatment of people living with HIV / AIDS always follow HIV specialist practices or HIV clinics.Side Effects
The side effects of treatment vary depending on the drug and the patient or patient. Short-term side effects such as diarrhea and headaches usually decrease after a few weeks and are usually treatable. And also the long-term side effects such as painful inflammation of the nerves in the legs (neuropathy) or disorders of lipid metabolism and the fat composition of the body (lipodystrophy), the HIV infection did earlier manifests outwardly, can be mixed with modern drugs rather avoid or through a get a grip on changing the combination. Basically, the benefit of treatment clearly outweigh its side effects: they not only prolong life, but also improves the quality of life of HIV-infected people.HIV treatment and transmission of infection
A stable and successful HIV therapy lowers the concentration of HIV (viral load) and the number of infected cells in the body fluids and mucous membranes, and thus the risk of infection for others. One does have long exploited for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.
In relation to the prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, antiretroviral therapy (ART) may, under certain conditions play an important role:
The viral load of the HIV-positive partner is at least six months under the detection limit.
The antiretroviral drugs are taken consistently.
There is no mucosal defects, for example, due to further sexually transmitted infections (STIs) before.
Checked these conditions are, however, usually only in partnerships with close medical supervision. For people who do not live in a committed relationship or outside of an existing partnership have other sexual partners, condom use is recommended for protection against HIV infection continues.
