Antiretroviral Therapy - Benefits and Considerations

Image credit: hivinfo.nih.gov

How does antiretroviral therapy work?

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a combination of medications used to treat HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). It works by stopping HIV from reproducing. It can reduce your levels of HIV and keep your immune system healthy. It’s not a cure, but many people reach undetectable levels of HIV.

What is standard antiretroviral therapy (ART)?

Standard antiretroviral therapy (ART) consists of the combination of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to maximally suppress the HIV virus and stop the progression of HIV disease. ART also prevents onward transmission of HIV.

How does antiretroviral therapy prevent HIV-associated morbidity and mortality?

The primary goal of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is to prevent HIV-associated morbidity and mortality. This goal is accomplished by using effective ART to achieve and maintain a plasma HIV-1 RNA (viral load) below the quantification limits of commercially available assays.

What Is Antiretroviral Therapy

1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/antiretroviral-therapy
2. https://hivinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv/fact-sheets/hiv-treatment-basics
3. https://www.verywellhealth.com/antiretroviral-therapy-5216107
4. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/hiv-and-aids-medicines
5. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/livingwithhiv/treatment.html
6. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/staying-in-hiv-care/hiv-treatment/hiv-treatment-overview
7. https://www.who.int/teams/global-hiv-hepatitis-and-stis-programmes/hiv/treatment/hiv-treatment-for-adults
8. https://www.unaids.org/en/topic/treatment

Antiretroviral Therapy Information

1. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/human-immunodeficiency-virus-hiv/antiretroviral-treatment-of-hiv-infection
2. https://hivmanagement.ashm.org.au/antiretroviral-drugs/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513308/