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Published: September 12, 2006
AIDS treatment can be broken into two parts: prescribed medications and alternative treatments. Both have many benefits; however, choosing one method or a combination of both methods can be challenging without knowing more about the options.
One option is prescribed medications. Antiretroviral medications, or Anti-HIV medications, are the only medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. They can be divided into four groups: Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTI), Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTI), Protease Inhibitors (PI) and Fusion Inhibitors. These medications are taken in a combination therapy called Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART).
Anti-HIV Meds
The four different groups of Anti-HIV medications each provide a special function in stopping the replication of the HIV virus. According to The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health, “NRTI’s work by inhibiting an enzyme, reverse transcriptase that is needed for the HIV virus to replicate, NNRTI’s work by binding to reverse transcriptase while keeping it from promoting the replication of HIV and PI’s interfere with HIV protease, an enzyme required to promote a later stage of the HIV replication process.”
Fusion inhibitors, which are fairly new to the HIV drug regiment, were approved in 2003 to stop the virus from fusing with other cells. This stops the disease from replicating in order to raise T-Cell counts, which is vital in AIDS patients.
T-Cells or CD4 cells are types of white blood cell central to the body’s immune system. Over time, levels of these cells tend to drop in people with HIV and AIDS. They also lower the viral load, which is the level of HIV virus in the blood.
Unfortunately one group often can not be effective when used alone, but when used in combination (HAART) they delay the infections and help patients to live longer.
Many newly diagnosed patients will start a combo therapy. After consultation with a health care provider, which includes extensive blood work, some may opt not to start an aggressive therapy. Instead, they may decide to explore alternative therapies.
Alternative therapy treatment of HIV/AIDS is a rapidly growing option. Its popularity comes from the idea of using natural remedies to treat ailments. Chinese herbs, which are known to help boost the immune system, are included in alternative therapy outlets. Vitamin combinations are used to promote general health and prevent common sicknesses. Physical treatments, such as massage and acupuncture, also are utilized.
The use of alternative therapy can limit the amount of pills needed during a day for those without the time or emotional energy to suffer the many side effects of prescribed medication.
Many people, however, have chosen to combine the two treatments.
Alternative therapy can work well when used in conjunction with prescribed medications. It often provides relief from the harsh side effects of anti-HIV meds. Although HAART medications are more widely used, the side effects can be crippling.
Side Effects
Side effects from HIV/AIDS medications range from vomiting, diarrhea, neuropathy (numbness and tingling of the limbs) to long term kidney and liver damage. Resistance to the medication is a possibility and, if this occurs, medication must be changed immediately.
Although there are serious side effects to the medications, prescribed medications are the only proven way to lower viral loads and maintain T-cells. According to the popular women's health manual Our Bodies, Ourselves, alternative medications provide some relief to HIV/AIDS medications' side effects and give people a greater quality of life; however, there is no documented proof they do anything more.
Ask the Doctor
A health care provider must be consulted before any changes should be made to a person's HIV/AIDS treatment regiment. Only after the proper research and a scrupulous health exam can one make the decision which treatment will work best for their situation.
The Boston Women's Health Book Collective. Our Bodies Ourselves. New York. Simon & Shuster. 1998
U.S. Health Guidelines for Anti-HIV Therapy. HIV Plus. August 2006
Karen J. Carlson, M.D., Stephanie A. Eisenstat, M.D., Terra Ziporyn, Ph.D. The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health. Cambridge, Massachusetts, London England, Harvard University Press. 2004
World Wide Words. 1996-2006. http://www.worldwidewords.org/
One option is prescribed medications. Antiretroviral medications, or Anti-HIV medications, are the only medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. They can be divided into four groups: Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTI), Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTI), Protease Inhibitors (PI) and Fusion Inhibitors. These medications are taken in a combination therapy called Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART).
Anti-HIV Meds
The four different groups of Anti-HIV medications each provide a special function in stopping the replication of the HIV virus. According to The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health, “NRTI’s work by inhibiting an enzyme, reverse transcriptase that is needed for the HIV virus to replicate, NNRTI’s work by binding to reverse transcriptase while keeping it from promoting the replication of HIV and PI’s interfere with HIV protease, an enzyme required to promote a later stage of the HIV replication process.”
Fusion inhibitors, which are fairly new to the HIV drug regiment, were approved in 2003 to stop the virus from fusing with other cells. This stops the disease from replicating in order to raise T-Cell counts, which is vital in AIDS patients.
T-Cells or CD4 cells are types of white blood cell central to the body’s immune system. Over time, levels of these cells tend to drop in people with HIV and AIDS. They also lower the viral load, which is the level of HIV virus in the blood.
Unfortunately one group often can not be effective when used alone, but when used in combination (HAART) they delay the infections and help patients to live longer.
Many newly diagnosed patients will start a combo therapy. After consultation with a health care provider, which includes extensive blood work, some may opt not to start an aggressive therapy. Instead, they may decide to explore alternative therapies.
Alternative therapy treatment of HIV/AIDS is a rapidly growing option. Its popularity comes from the idea of using natural remedies to treat ailments. Chinese herbs, which are known to help boost the immune system, are included in alternative therapy outlets. Vitamin combinations are used to promote general health and prevent common sicknesses. Physical treatments, such as massage and acupuncture, also are utilized.
The use of alternative therapy can limit the amount of pills needed during a day for those without the time or emotional energy to suffer the many side effects of prescribed medication.
Many people, however, have chosen to combine the two treatments.
Alternative therapy can work well when used in conjunction with prescribed medications. It often provides relief from the harsh side effects of anti-HIV meds. Although HAART medications are more widely used, the side effects can be crippling.
Side Effects
Side effects from HIV/AIDS medications range from vomiting, diarrhea, neuropathy (numbness and tingling of the limbs) to long term kidney and liver damage. Resistance to the medication is a possibility and, if this occurs, medication must be changed immediately.
Although there are serious side effects to the medications, prescribed medications are the only proven way to lower viral loads and maintain T-cells. According to the popular women's health manual Our Bodies, Ourselves, alternative medications provide some relief to HIV/AIDS medications' side effects and give people a greater quality of life; however, there is no documented proof they do anything more.
Ask the Doctor
A health care provider must be consulted before any changes should be made to a person's HIV/AIDS treatment regiment. Only after the proper research and a scrupulous health exam can one make the decision which treatment will work best for their situation.
The Boston Women's Health Book Collective. Our Bodies Ourselves. New York. Simon & Shuster. 1998
U.S. Health Guidelines for Anti-HIV Therapy. HIV Plus. August 2006
Karen J. Carlson, M.D., Stephanie A. Eisenstat, M.D., Terra Ziporyn, Ph.D. The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health. Cambridge, Massachusetts, London England, Harvard University Press. 2004
World Wide Words. 1996-2006. http://www.worldwidewords.org/
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