How effective are antiretroviral drugs on clearing viral load from an inffected patient?

Question

I'm a general medical practioner just registered at University of Nigeria Nsukka to read Masters Programme in immunology.

Answer 1

highly effective,infact more effective than u can imagine.the cd4 count drops to such an extent dat the patient is as healthy as any normal individual on the street.
however it is only subject to adherence to your daily drug regimen and at the right time too.missing a single dose of ur medication in one day can result into multiplication of the virus a thousand fold.in the same vein antiretrovirals are more effective if the patient has not been attacked and rendered beyond help by opportunistic infections.whichever way u look at it the benefit far outways the risk.

Answer 2

The answer seems to have been answered pretty well. I'd add that many patients could have viral resistance against certain anti retroviral drugs. Patients have to take multiple drugs together (usually with AZT) so that the virus replication stays low. They can't cure HIV infection, but they help the inevitable progression to fullblown AIDS take longer.

Sadly these drugs destroy blood cells in the process. It's common to find that these patients suffer from severe anemia. However, you must outlay the risks and benefits of treatment.