HIV-1, also known as human immunodeficiency virus 1, is the most common form of HIV/AIDS in the world. HIV-1 attacks and weakens the cells in the immune system of people who are infected with the virus. It’s a very serious and chronic condition for which there is no cure.
Until recent years, HIV-1 was considered a death sentence because it was terminal and there is no cure for the condition. While there is still no permanent cure for HIV-1, there are treatment options available that can keep the virus at bay and prevent it from being terminal.
However, it is important to seek treatment for HIV as quickly as possible. Without treatment HIV-1 can progress into AIDS and progressively destroy your immune system until you suffer organ failure.
For decades, the world did not know how to treat HIV-1 or AIDS. Medical professionals would provide as much care as they could and treat symptoms as they appeared but could do very little to keep HIV-1 from progressing into AIDS and proving fatal.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, however, people started using antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV-1. Better known as ART, antiretroviral therapy consists of a group of drugs and medicines that are given to people with HIV on a daily basis. ART cannot cure HIV, as the condition has no cure, but it significantly lengthens and improves the lives of people who have HIV-1.
There are many different types and versions of ART used to treat HIV-1. Each type uses a different combination of drugs and medicines that are condensed into a single pill. These drugs and medications help to reduce the amount of HIV in the blood and negate the effect that HIV has on your immune system.
While treatment will vary from person to person, ART typically includes a total of three drugs – two from one class and one from another. Here are the most common drug classes used in ART to treat HIV-1.
NNRTIs, such as doravirine and efavirenz, keep the HIV virus from being able to replicate by withholding an essential protein.
NRTIs, such as abacavir and zidovudine, infiltrate the HIV virus and prevent it from replicating.
PIs, such as darunavir and atazanavir, withhold the protease protein, which does not allow the HIV virus to replicate.
IIs, such as cobotegravir and raltegravir, withhold integrase from the HIV virus which means they cannot enter your white blood cells and destroy them.
Entry and fusion inhibitors do not allow the HIV virus to enter your white blood cells and destroy them.
To date, ART is the best, most common, and highest recommended treatment for HIV-1. Everyone who is HIV-positive should start ART as soon as possible.
While ART is the wonder drug that has saved countless lives, it is not without its side effects. Here are some of the most common side effects of ART.
While the side effects of antiretroviral therapy are painful and uncomfortable, the alternative is often death. Therefore, it is vital to get diagnosed if you think you have HIV-1 so that you can immediately start your treatment. While ART is not a cure for HIV-1, it can increase your lifespan and improve your quality of life.