Prepared by: Bratislav Prokić, July 2022
Review: Dr. Jovana Milić,
Metabolic clinic for HIV in Modena, Italy
How is HIV treated?
HIV is treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Treatment involves taking a combination of HIV drugs in one or more pills every day, with regular medical check-ups every 4 to 6 months.
What is the goal of treatment?
The main goal of treatment is to achieve and maintain maximum suppression of viral replication (multiplication of the virus) in the blood, i.e. that the result of PCR (HIV RNA) is always undetectable (less than 50 copies per milliliter of blood), in order to restore and preserve immune function, improved quality of life and prevented further progression of disease and death.
How do HIV medicines (ART) work?
Antiretroviral drugs prevent the virus from multiplying and infecting new cells, by blocking several enzymes that are crucial in the “life” cycle of the virus inside the infected cell (most often a CD4+ lymphocyte). Medicines usually block two enzymes that prevent the reproduction and infection of healthy cells.
Do HIV drugs kill HIV?
Not directly. Antiretroviral drugs stop the virus from multiplying, which leads to a reduction in the number of viral particles in the blood to an immeasurable level, when it can no longer be detected by a PCR (HIV RNA) test. However, antiretroviral drugs cannot completely cure HIV infection.
What are the benefits of regular and correct use of anti-HIV drugs?
By achieving and maintaining an undetectable level of virus in the blood, a person with HIV can live a healthy and long life and cannot transmit the virus sexually or through other bodily fluids. By continuing to take medication, healthy cells are preserved.
Do HIV drugs boost immunity?
Antiretroviral drugs do not raise immunity directly, but give the immune system room to recover, by drastically reducing the number of viral particles in the blood, i.e. viral load. The recovery of the immune system leads to an increase in the number of CD4+ T-lymphocytes, which are important in the fight against various types of infections.
Do you need to take other preparations for “boosting immunity”?
There are no recommendations for taking the preparations, nor is there evidence of their effectiveness. Some preparations can interact with anti-HIV drugs and reduce their effectiveness, so it is necessary to discuss this with the doctor.
Do HIV medicines have to be taken regularly?
Antiretroviral drugs must be taken at the same time every day, in order to achieve and maintain a sufficient concentration of the drugs in the blood. In this way, the drug will reach a sufficient number of CD4+ T cells, so HIV will not be able to reproduce in them.
Is it possible to take a break from taking HIV drugs?
Skipping doses and taking breaks gives the virus room to continue to multiply and develop resistance to the drugs that a person with HIV uses, as well as to continue to influence the decline of the immune system. By creating resistance to drugs, treatment failure occurs, when it is necessary to change the therapeutic regimen and apply drugs to which a person with HIV has no resistance.
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