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HIV treatments that can be prescribed to effectively control the HIV virus and their common side effects

HIV Treatments

Unlike a few years ago the medication that is available to help maintain the HIV viral load is a lot more effective and displays fewer side effects.
There are more than twenty-fourantiretroviral drugs on the market today that is FDA approved.  These drugs are broken down into about six different groups depending on their function.  As each of these drugs is designed to have different effects on the virus they are often prescribed as a cocktail.  A cocktail can contain a combination of two or more of these drugs to be taken as part of the treatment.

HIV treatments

#1 Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors or NRTIs
This medication slows down the replication of the virus into the DNA strand.
The side effects the may occur are abdominal pain, fatigue, dizziness, rash, muscle pain and headaches.
These medications include:

  • Stribild
  • Prezcobix
  • Evotaz
  • Complera
  • Atripla

#2 Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors or NNRTIs
This medication is used to prevent the virus’s RNA conversion to DNA.
Their side effects may include: rash, raised liver enzymes, stomach pains, depression, vomiting, dizziness, insomnia and headaches.
These medications include:

  • Edurant
  • Intelence
  • Rescriptor
  • Sustiva
  • Viramune
  • Viramune XR

#3 Protease Inhibitors or PIs
These drugs prevent immature or new HIV from maturing.  It is only at the mature stage that the HIV virus can infect healthy CD4 cells.Their side effects may include a rash, vomiting, nausea, fever, liver toxicity, diabetes, changes in heart rhythm, stomach pain, lipodystrophy and headaches.
These medications include:

  • Agenerase
  • Aptivus
  • Crixivan
  • Fortovase
  • Kaletra
  • Lexiva
  • Norvir
  • Viracept

#4 Fusion Inhibitors
These drugs block the HIV from being able to merge with the membrane of the CD4 cells and prevents it from being able to enter it.Their side effects may include swelling, injection site pain, numbness, cough, fever, dizziness, nausea, insomnia and headaches.
These medications include:

  • Fuzeon

They are also known as Entry inhibitors and include medications such as:

  • Selzentry

Conclusion

Although these drugs are designed to control the virus, its growth, stop the symptoms of it and boost your immune system they are not a cure.  Having HIV even when it is controlled by medication means you can still potentially spread the disease if you are not cautious.  Although these drugs are designed to have as few a side effects as possible they can still react adversely to other medication.  Always be upfront with your health care provider about anything you may be taken over and above their prescribed medication.

Contact your physician or go to your nearest clinic/hospital immediately should you have any adverse effects from the medication.

info2 - HIV treatments that can be prescribed to effectively control the HIV virus and their common side effects
Infographic by: thebody.com