If your HIV test comes back positive, you can expect your healthcare provider to start you on antiretroviral therapy immediately. Antiretroviral therapy is crucial to impeding the virus’s progression in your body. It utilizes HIV medication as a life-long solution for reducing your body’s viral load and lowering your risk of sexual transmission to others to a level that makes you unable to pass the virus onto your partner.

Although HIV doesn’t have a cure, many people who’ve tested positive continue to live healthy lives thanks to early and active treatment. Strictly following your antiretroviral therapy protocol can help you lead a long life with a stronger immune system, giving you the freedom to enter a relationship with someone else without the fear of transmission.

What HIV Medicines Are Included in Antiretroviral Therapy?

• Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors: HIV replicates and progresses by converting its RNA into DNA using the reverse transcriptase enzyme. Drugs such as nucleoside (tenofovir, emtricitabine, abacavir, etc.) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (efavirenz, nevirapine, rilpivirine, etc.) inhibit this process, stopping the virus from making copies of itself.

• Protease Inhibitors (PIs): Popular protease inhibitors like ritonavir, atazanavir and darunavir prohibit the protease from enabling the virus to mature and infect new cells.

• Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors (INSTIs): Dolutegravir, elvitegravir and raltegravir are examples of INSTIs. Integrase is an enzyme that helps HIV integrate its genetic material into the host cell's DNA. Integrase inhibitors prevent this integration by hindering the virus's ability to become a permanent part of the host cell.

• Entry Inhibitors and Fusion Inhibitors: Enfuvirtide and maraviroc belong to these classes, respectively. Entry inhibitors block HIV from entering through the host cell’s surface receptors, while fusion inhibitors prevent HIV from fusing with its membrane, limiting your body’s viral load.

What Should People Know About Antiretroviral Therapy?

Consistently taking medications as directed by a healthcare provider is crucial. Missing doses or stopping treatment can lead to drug resistance and potentially nullify your treatment’s effectiveness[1] . If you miss a dose, take it immediately or continue with your normal schedule if it’s close to your next dose. Under no circumstances should you ever double dose.

You’ll also need to schedule regular check-ups and lab tests so your healthcare provider can gauge whether your current combination of HIV medication is working and adjust your regimen if necessary.

Understanding the full extent of the medications you’re taking is crucial. Your healthcare provider and pharmacist will help explain the specific protocol with your medication, such as when you should take it, if it should be taken with food or on an empty stomach and any possible side effects. HIV medicine side effects commonly include nausea, diarrhea, fatigue and varying lipid levels. Discuss any side effects you’re experiencing with your healthcare provider, as they’ll alter your treatment plan and help you find solutions to manage your discomfort.

It’s essential to inform your healthcare provider about any other over-the-counter drugs and supplements you’re taking, as some may negatively interact with your HIV medication and potentially weaken its ability to combat the virus.

While ART is vital for managing HIV, it will take a long time for your viral load to be reduced enough to prevent sexually transmitting the virus to others. Your HIV medications also won’t protect you against other sexually transmitted infections, which is why practicing safe sex and using condoms correctly is still essential in safeguarding your and your partner’s health.

Although some complementary therapies can support your overall health and help manage your stress regarding your treatment – such as yoga, acupuncture and exercise – they should never replace your antiretroviral therapy.

Get the Antiretroviral Therapy Medications You Need From a Houston Pharmacy Equipped to Help You Through Your Program

St. Hope Pharmacy helps Houston HIV patients get everything they need for antiretroviral therapy, regardless of whether they are existing St. Hope Healthcare patients or not. Our expert pharmacists will help you understand the specifics of your regimen so you never feel lost about your own prescription.

Have your prescription filled at one of our six pharmacies in Bellaire, Conroe, Houston, Sugar Land and Dickinson.

  Link to "The Importance of Medication Adherence for HIV Patients" blog