|
|
Viral load testing measures the amount of new virus being produced and released into the bloodstream. Several studies have shown that higher levels of viral load are associated with more rapid disease progression and a greater risk of death. Lower levels are associated with stability and reduced risk of progression, infection, or death. Ideally, an HIV infected person should have no detectable level of virus, which means that the level of virus activity is too low to be measured. Currently available tests measure down as low as 200 to 500 copies of virus, the lowest amount presently measurable. This is associated with the best possible clinical outcome. Higher levels, ranging from several hundred upwards of millions of copies of virus, are associated with higher rates of disease progression. In short, the higher the number, the more rapid the rate of disease progression.
Clinical trials of new drugs use these tests to measure the effect of drugs. A good antiviral drug can quickly reduce the level of virus at least ten fold and often as much as a thousand fold. The goal of therapy is to reduce the viral load to the lowest level detected by the test, usually below 200-500 viral copies.
HIV infected people and their physicians use these tests to make decisions about when and if to use antiviral drugs, and to determine if a drug is working on not. When the virus levels begin to rise again while using a drug, most physicians believe it is time to switch to another drug or combination of drugs.
Recent studies have resolved most doubts about the use of these tests and it is likely that reimbursement for them will improve greatly. At the very least, the test provides a rational basis for deciding when or whether to use antiviral drugs, as well as a tool for determining whether or not an antiviral drug is working.
Summary: Testing
No single test gives a total picture of immune health or disease progression, but CD4+ cell testing and viral load taken together are very important. As we learn to manage HIV as a chronic illness, these tests provide rational guidance about what treatments to use, when and when not to use them, and how well they are working.
Intervention Against HIV
There are several types of intervention which you can take against HIV. Many are useful, but no one of them alone is sufficient. Unfortunately, some of these approaches are promoted with religious fervor, to the exclusion of the others. The best overall approach may be one which is inclusive, combining the best of each of the five types of intervention.
General Health Maintenance
This means doing all of the things normally recommended for leading a healthy life: proper nutrition and nutritional support; adequate rest; avoidance of alcohol, smoking, drugs, and unnecessary stress; exercise and fresh air. In short, all the things our mothers always recommended. Taken alone, good health maintenance won't prevent progression to AIDS or cure it, but it will give each person the best fighting chance he or she has. A good defense builds upon a solid foundation.
Supportive Therapies
This category, sometimes called a holistic approach, can include various supplementary approaches, such as: stress reduction; massage; visualization, yoga and relaxation techniques; psychological and spiritual support; natural medicines; and many others. Many of these can be helpful in dealing with symptoms of illness, drug side effects, and keeping one's peace of mind. Taken alone, however, they won't solve the problem. Unfortunately, some practitioners of complimentary approaches become dogmatic, urging their use to the exclusion of all others, even the medicines recommended by physicians. When presented in this manner, this approach can be harmful and may discourage one from getting necessary medical attention. The best practitioners see these as complimentary rather than alternative therapies and work in conjunction with physicians.
Antiviral Strategy
HIV attacks and misdirects the immune system. Medicines can help slow the spread of the offending virus. The best known antiviral medications are "nucleoside analogue" drugs like AZT, ddI, ddC, d4T, 3TC. More recently, a new class of drugs called "protease inhibitors" has been made available. This includes drugs like saquinavir, indinavir, ritonavir, and nelfinavir. The most recent of all are "non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor" (NNRTI) drugs like nevirapine and delavirdine. The challenge of using these drugs is knowing when and how much to use and how to combine them. Used alone, none of these drugs will work for long, but used together in rational combinations, they can suppress HIV for many years and lengthen life.
Immune Modulating Strategy
The goal of immune modulating medications is to increase the number or function of lost cells, such as CD4+ cells, to restore the balance of the various components of the immune system, or to diminish harmful activities caused by infected cells.
|
Tags
You must be logged in to add tags.
|
Writer Profile
Charles
This user has not written anything in his panorama profile yet.
|
Comments
HIV and AIDS Min Arot | Aug 25th, 2003
You have written an excellent text that is informative without being too technically for the non-scientific minds. I wish that you would get an opportunity for wider dissemination of the article in african journals and media so that more people may know these pertinent details about HIV and AIDS. There's also a French journal called Remaide which specializes on HIV and AIDS which could publish this article. Thanks and all the best.
HIV HEALING Doris Carter | Sep 14th, 2018
Healing from HIV-AIDS, i never though dr.camala who could ever get my HIV-AIDS cured with his healing spell, i have tried almost everything but i couldn't find any solution on my disease, despite all these happening to me, i always spend alot to buy a HIV drugs from hospital and taking some several medications but no relieve, until one day i was just browsing on the internet when i come across a great post of !Michelle! who truly said that she was been diagnose with HIV and was healed that very week through the help of these great powerful healing spell doctor, sometime i really wonder why people called him Papa camala, i never knew it was all because of the great and perfect work that he has been doing that is causing all this. so i quickly contacted him, and he ask me some few questions and he said a thing i will never forget that anyone who contacted him is ! always getting his or her healing in just 6 hours after doing all he ask you, so i was amazed all the time i heard that from him, so i did all things only to see that at the very day which he said i will be healed, all the strength that has left me before rush back and i becomes very strong and healthy, this disease almost kills my life all because of me, so i will to hospital to give the final test to the disease and the doctor said i am HIV negative, i am very amazed and happy about the healing dr.camala gave to me from the ancient part of Africa, you can email him now for your own healing too at: dr.camalahivadscure@yahoo.com or WhatsApp him +2349055637784 thank you sir for healing me from HIV, i am Doris Carter.
You must be a TakingITGlobal member to post a comment. Sign up for free or login.
|
|
