Because
HIV can become resistant to any of these drugs, healthcare providers must use a combination treatment to effectively suppress the virus. When multiple medications (three or more) are used in combination, it is referred to as highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART, and can be used by people who are newly infected with HIV as well as people with
AIDS.
Researchers have credited HAART as being a major factor in significantly reducing the number of deaths from AIDS in this country. While HAART is not a cure for AIDS, it has greatly improved the health of many people with the disease, and it reduces the amount of virus circulating in the blood to nearly undetectable levels. Researchers, however, have shown that HIV remains present in hiding places, such as the lymph nodes, brain, testes, and retina of the eye, even in people who have been treated.
Treatment for HIV-Related Opportunistic Infections
A number of available medications can help treat opportunistic infections. These medications include:
- Foscarnet and ganciclovir to treat CMV (cytomegalovirus) eye infections
- Fluconazole to treat yeast and other fungal infections
- TMP/SMX (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) or pentamidine to treat PCP (Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia).
Despite the beneficial effects of HAART, there are side effects associated with the use of antiretroviral medications that can be severe.
RT Inhibitor Side Effects
Some of the nucleoside RT inhibitors may cause a decrease of red or white blood cells, especially when taken in the later stages of the disease. Some may also cause inflammation of the
pancreas and painful nerve damage. There have been reports of complications and other severe reactions, including death, to some of the antiretroviral nucleoside analogs when used alone or in combination. Therefore, healthcare experts recommend that you be routinely followed by your healthcare provider if you are on antiretroviral therapy.
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