Basic Treatment for AIDS

When the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) becomes advanced, it is called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. This virus kills the t-cells which are your body's main defense against illness. The basic treatment for HIV/AIDS is antiretroviral (ARV) drug therapy. The drugs do not cure HIV/AIDS and must be taken for the rest of your life.
If you've been diagnosed with HIV, ARV drug therapy can delay the onset of AIDS and prolong your life. According to AVERT, an international AIDS charity, there are more than 20 antiretroviral drugs approved by the FDA to treat HIV infections. Their broad classifications are below.

Protease Inhibitors

• Protease inhibitor drugs target an enzyme that helps HIV to replicate. This slows the progression of the illness because the HIV cells cannot multiply as quickly.

Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

• Reverse transcriptase inhibitors focus on disabling an enzyme that allows HIV to integrate into your chromosomes. By preventing this, HIV is stopped from reproducing within your cells.

Fusion or Entry Inhibitors

• These drugs prevent HIV from entering human immune cells.

Integrase Inhibitors

• The newest class of drugs, these prevent an enzyme HIV needs from inserting its genetic material into your cells.

Combining Drugs

• The most effective way to treat AIDS is to take multiple drugs. Taking two antiviral drugs at once is called combination therapy and taking three or more is known as highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).