What are the Treatments for HIV?

Antiretroviral Therapy is the cornerstone of medical treatment for HIV. It is commonly known as ART for HIV treatment. Generally, ART treatment involves taking a combination of three or more drugs daily to help suppress the virus, reduce the risk of transmission, and boost immune function.

The 5 main classes of ART drugs used for HIV treatment include:

• Entry and Fusion Inhibitors: These drugs prevent HIV from entering the uninfected cells
• Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors-INSTIs: prevent the virus from integrating its genetic material into the DNA of the host.
• Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRSTIs): They prevent the reverse transcriptase enzyme from functioning correctly.
• Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs): They interfere with the virus’s ability to replicate.
• Protease Inhibitors: They are effective in blocking the protease enzyme and help in making new virus particles.

To enhance daily treatment and make it more effective and convenient, many HIV patients today take single-tablet regimens. This is a combination of several medications into one pill which is taken every day. This has helped improve adherence and overall results.

This is one of the most recent treatments for HIV. These injections are administered once every one or two months. It eliminates the need for the daily pill and offers a more effective and discrete treatment option.

PrEP for HIV is a preventative measure taken for people who are at higher risk of contracting the virus. According to the CDC, when taken accurately, medications such as Descovy for HIV treatment can help keep HIV away.

This emergency treatment is administered after a person has been potentially exposed to HIV. This medication includes a combination of ART medications and must be first taken within 72 hours and continued for 28 days.

The main treatment for HIV is antiretroviral therapy (ART) — a combination of daily medications that keep the virus from multiplying. ART has transformed HIV from a life-threatening illness into a manageable chronic condition, allowing people to live long, healthy lives.

HIV medications come from five main drug classes: entry and fusion inhibitors, integrase strand transfer inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and protease inhibitors. Treatment usually combines drugs from more than one class.

Yes. Many people today take single-tablet regimens that combine several HIV medications into one convenient daily pill, making treatment simpler and easier to stick with.

Yes. Long-acting injectable ART is now available and can be given once a month or every other month instead of taking daily pills. Our providers can help you decide whether an injectable option is right for you.

There is currently no cure for HIV, but modern treatment is highly effective at controlling it. With consistent ART, the virus can be reduced to undetectable levels, keeping you healthy and preventing transmission to others.

When treatment lowers the amount of HIV in your blood to undetectable levels, you cannot transmit the virus to sexual partners. This is known as U=U (undetectable = untransmittable) and is one of the biggest benefits of staying on treatment.

Without treatment, HIV gradually weakens the immune system and can progress to AIDS, leaving the body vulnerable to serious infections. Starting and staying on treatment early is the best way to protect your long-term health.