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With more than 25 antiretroviral (ARV) medications currently available, you have most likely found a treatment regimen that is right for you. Now the tough part begins - making sure your medications keep workingTwo factors that can affect the success of your treatment are adherence and resistance.
Adherence refers to how closely you follow your treatment regimen. Resistance occurs when the HIV virus in your body no longer responds to the medications you are taking The relationship between the two is essential to treatment success, because taking your medications as directed can help reduce the chancesof the HIV virus becoming resistant to your medications.
Understand Adherence in the treatment of HIV When it comes to HIV treatment, "taking your medication as directed" takes on a whole new meaning. Most antiretroviral (ARV) medication combinations involve 3 or more medications, each taken 1 to 3 times a day with potential side effects. Each medication can have different rules about food - one may require an empty stomach, while another may need to be taken during a meal.So, when you are busy at work, traveling, or feeling sick, does it really matter if you miss just one dose of medication? It certainly does.
Adherence, which refers to how closely you follow a prescribed treatment regimen, can make the difference between life and death.
Why It Is Important Adherence has been shown to have an effect on how well antiretroviral (ARV) medications stop HIV from reproducing. When you skip a dose of medication, the virus has the opportunity to reproduce, which it does very quickly.
When this happens, your viral load (the amount of HIV in a blood sample) increases, which eventually could put you at risk for AIDS-related conditions and even death.
Adherence is so important in the treatment of HIV that researchers have found that optimal suppression of the virus requires 90% to 95% adherence.
A lack of adherence also can cause drug resistance. When the virus makes copies of itself, it also can make copies that have mutations. Some of these mutations may be resistant to the medication(s) you are taking and render them useless.
Achieve Treatment Success Your first treatment regimen has the best chance for long-term success, so it is very important to take your drugs correctly, right from the start.
Many people find that adherence to treatment becomes more difficult over time. It is important to talk with your physician about any issues you may be having with your treatment plan, because patients who take their medication correctly achieve the best results.
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Resistance and Adherence to antiretroviral medications