Anti-retroviral regimens are prescribed for those who have HIV infection in which they have elevated viral load and/or low T cell counts. Take them each and every time as ordered. No skipping doses or taking them late. Even if you have side effects- don't miss a dose. Follow your doctor's order consistently. Why? Because if you miss a dose, your regimen may become ineffective. That leaves few and sometimes no other treatment options. It will be important for you to understand how beneficial these medications can be- your immune system can return to a healthy state thus maximizing your health status.
2006-08-30 10:49:13
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answer #1
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answered by gmpranis1 2
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probably plenty, yet then they're only extra chemical compounds to compromise immune function. i'd heavily attempt to dodge the drug-obsessed society failings if I were you, the present clinical bounce ahead already has 350,000 clinical papers written in its acclaim. Oh, this is peer reviewed and examined on rats, the LD50 try, even with the undeniable fact that it did not kill any. Hell of a job getting it on the marketplace because of that. it really is in ordinary words a deadly disease, and viruses mutually with those at the on the spot are not an excellent clinical secret to address. The replace of a few complicated carbohydrates does more effective than drugs ever will do. ultimately, please do not even imagine about paying for drugs from those pathetic idiots that promote them on their web pages. good success, and take care.
2016-12-06 00:13:32
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answer #2
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answered by ? 3
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Antiretroviral drugs are medications for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV. Different classes of antiretroviral drugs act at different stages of the HIV life cycle. Combination of several (typically three or four) antiretroviral drugs is known as Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART).
Doctors Nation wide differ as when to start therapy but the average is when the CD4 cell count is below 350, as below 200 is considered to be full blown AIDS.
Antiretroviral drugs comprise of four categories including:
Nucleoside/Nucleotide Analogues
Abacavir
Didanosine
Emtricitabine
Lamivudine
Stavudine
Tenofovir
Zalcitabine
Zidovudine
Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Delavirdine
Efavirenz
Nevirapine
Protease Inhibitors
Amprenavir
Atazanavir
Fosamprenavir
Indinavir
Lopinavir/Ritonavir
Nelfinavir
Ritonavir
Saquinavir
Tipranavir
Darunavir
Fusion Inhibitors
Enfuvirtide
Because HIV mutates readily, the virus can develop resistance to single drug therapy. However, treatment with drug combinations appears to produce a durable response. Proper treatment appears to slow the progression of HIV infections and reduce the frequency of opportunistic infections. One of the most notable advances in recent years has been the success of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This multidrug approach reduced the risk of opportunistic infections in persons with HIV/AIDS and slowed the progression of the disease and death. Usually, patients receive triple combination therapy, however research in 2003 showed a new once-daily regimen of quadruple therapy effective. The combination included adefovir, lamivudine, didanosine, and efavirenz. In short, the scientific community continues to make rapid advancements in developing and evaluating antiretroviral drug therapy. It is best to keep well informed and frequently check with a physician.
Recommended dosage
Doses must be individualized based on the patient and use of interacting drugs. The optimum combinations of antiretroviral drugs have not been determined, nor is there agreement on the stage of infection at which to start treatment. In fact, starting treatment too early has led to unwanted side effects in some patients or problems with patient readiness to comply. Treatment should begin when the time and circumstances are right.
Precautions
Although the antiretroviral drugs fall into several groups, each drug has a unique pattern of adverse effects and drug interactions. Since the drugs are used in various combinations, the frequency and severity of adverse effects will vary with the combination. Although most drug combinations show a higher rate of adverse events than single drug therapy, some patterns are not predictable. For example, indinavir has been reported to cause insomnia in 3% of patients, however, when used in combination with zidovudine, only 1.5% of patients complained of sleep difficulties.
The most severe adverse effects associated with the protease inhibitors are kidney and liver toxicity. Patients also have reported a syndrome of abdominal distention (selling and expansion) and increased body odor, which may be socially limiting. Hemophilic patients have reported increased bleeding tendencies while taking protease inhibitors. The drugs are pregnancy category B. There have been no controlled studies of safety in pregnancy. HIV-infected mothers are advised not to breast feed in order to prevent transmission of the virus to the newborn.
The nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors have significant levels of toxicity. Lactic acidosis in the absence of hypoxemia and severe liver enlargement with fatty degeneration have been reported with zidovudine and zalcitabine, and are potentially fatal. Rare cases of liver failure, considered possibly related to underlying hepatitis B and zalcitabine monotherapy, have been reported.
Abacavir has been associated with fatal hypersensitivity reactions. Didanosine has been associated with severe pancreatitis. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are pregnancy category C. There is limited information regarding safety during pregnancy. Zidovudine has been used during pregnancy to reduce the risk of HIV infection to the infant. HIV-infected mothers are advised not to breast feed in order to prevent transmission of the virus to the newborn.
Efavirenz has been associated with a high frequency of skin rash, 27% in adults and 40% in children. Nevirapine has been associated with severe liver damage and skin reactions. All of the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are pregnancy category C, based on animal studies.
Using antiretroviral drugs in combination also helps lower risk of developing viral resistance. Fifty percent of patients who fail antiretroviral therapy are resistant to one class of drug. Recent research into multiple drugs and combinations is promising.
Interactions
Because of the high frequency of drug interactions associated with AIDS therapy, specialized references should be consulted. Use of recreational drugs while on antriretroviral therapy can trigger potentially lethal side effects or negate the positive effects of the therapy.
Saquinavir is marketed in both hard and soft gelatin capsules. Because saquinavir in the hard gelatin capsule formulation (Invirase) has poor bioavailability, it is recommended that this formulation only be used in combination with other drugs which interact to raise saquinavir blood levels. Saquinavir soft gelatin capsules (Fortovase) are the preferred dosage form of this drug.
2006-08-31 01:30:36
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answer #4
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answered by Apollo 7
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