HIV Treatment
Infectious Disease Specialist serving Jacksonville and the surrounding areas
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment keeps HIV counts low, your immune system strong, and lowers your risk of developing HIV-related complications. Mohammed Reza, MD, is an HIV specialist at Reza Health in Jacksonville, Florida, who provides HIV treatment. Dr. Reza can make sure you get on the right medication and get regular refills to help you stay healthy. To learn more about HIV treatment, call or schedule an appointment online today.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment, also called antiretroviral therapy (ART), refers to the medications people with HIV take so they can live long and healthy lives.
HIV is a virus that attacks and destroys your infection-fighting immune system cells — CD4 cells. Without these cells, your body can’t fight off infections and certain HIV-related cancers.
HIV treatment stops the virus from multiplying in your body, decreasing your viral load (the amount of HIV in your body). Low HIV levels give your immune system a chance to repair itself and make more infection-fighting cells.
Though HIV treatment isn’t a cure for HIV, it keeps viral load levels low enough that your immune system can protect you from infections and HIV cancers. If you have an undetectable viral load, your risk of transmitting the virus to your sexual partner is low.
HIV treatment usually involves a combination of HIV medications. The different types of HIV medications are grouped into classes based on how they fight the virus.
HIV medication classes include:
NNRTIs bind to specific proteins in HIV, preventing it from multiplying and spreading throughout your body.
NRTIs cause the virus to make faulty versions of the protein it needs to replicate.
PIs block a protein that the HIV-infected cells need to make the virus.
Fusion inhibitors stop the virus from getting into a cell.
CCR5 agonists also block the virus from entering a cell.
INSTIs prevent the virus from multiplying by blocking a protein the virus uses to put its DNA into the DNA of a healthy cell.
Post-attachment inhibitors are a new HIV treatment for people with drug-resistant HIV.
Your HIV treatment may include a combination of these medications.
Dr. Reza talks to you about your HIV treatment and the different medications that can help decrease your viral load. He also explains the side effects.
Dr. Reza works closely with you, creating an HIV treatment plan that keeps you healthy. You must take your HIV medication as prescribed to keep your viral load low and prevent the virus from becoming drug-resistant.
To learn more about HIV treatment at Reza Health, call or schedule an appointment online today.