HIV Treatment Guidelines
HIV Treatment
The treatment guidelines are set by the DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services) in the United States and stat whether or not a patient should receive treatment for HIV.
1. Any patient that has had a AIDS defining illness in the past and anyone with severe HIV symptoms should began treatment immediately.
2. HIV treatment is recommended for patients that are asymptomatic who have a low CD4 count.
3. Asymptomatic patients with CD4 counts lower then 350 should be offered treatment but if there is a high viral load treatment may be initiated when CD4 count is over 350.
4 Patients who have low viral count and a CD4 above 350 should defer treatment.
Preferred starting regimes include:
- Efavirenz/Zidovudine/Lamivudine
- Efavirenz/Tenofovir/Emtricitabine
- Lopinavir boosted by Ritonavir/Lamivudine/Zidovudine
- Lopinavir boosted by Emtricitabine/Tenofovir/Ritonavir
In countries where lots of resistant HIV is present, it is recommended that you get tested for resistant strains. There are strains that have a high degree of resistance to various drug combinations and the level/type of drug resistant viruses is regional. If you are exposed to HIV or think there is a high chance you were the CDC recommends starting a 28 day drug regimen as soon as possible. Positive pregnant women who don't yet need therapy are recommended to start a regimen in order to reduce the chance of mother to child transmission.
-You and your doctor should discuss drug regimes in depth and decide on the most effective one based on your current condition. You should write down your regime and keep it with you. The regimen should include a list of all your medications and how frequently you take them or better a time schedule of your medications.
-Get a pill box from the drugstore and fill it at the beginning of every week with all the medications you are going to take. This will make it easy to know which medications you have taken that day and remember which ones you still need to take.
-If there is a newer version of your medication that can be taken less frequently use it if you can because this will reduce the chances of forgetting a dose.
-If you have a hard time remembering your medications buy a timer, watch, or set the alarm on your phone to help you remember to take your drugs. Missing doses can be detrimental to a regimen and you should take every precaution to avoid this as every missed dose raises the risk of resistant viral strains.
