Information about Aids - Treatment Guidelines for the AIDS Patient

Treatment Guidelines
for the AIDS Patient

In 1981 when AIDS was first discovered, there were few drugs that could be used to treat this disease. Because there was a scarcity of drugs to fight the virus and the associated infections that attacked the body, the diagnosis of HIV or AIDS meant the patient would die a painful and slow death. Since then, medications have been developed to slow the advance of the disease and give the patient a better quality of life.

In 1989, antiretroviral medications have been proven to extend the life of AIDS patients. There is no known cure for AIDS, and many of the drugs used to extend life give the users severe side effects. And all the drugs are expensive and not available for the poorer AIDS population. This has been especially troublesome for the poorer countries of the world.

Another sad fact is that some AIDS patients who have been on medication for their disease for over 20 years are developing a resistance to the drugs that is supposed to prolong their life. When that happens, the body no longer responds to treatments for the disease. There are over 40,000 patients in the United States who have developed this drug resistance. A newer drug may help this group of people.

The newest drugs that are being used to treat patients with HIV are the antiretroviral medications. The United States Department of Health and Human Services has recently developed guidelines based on recommendations as HIV changes and scientists learn more.

Did You Know?

Homeopathic treatments for patients with the early stages of HIV and for patients with early stages of AIDS have been proven effective. Some homeopaths have been able to help patients in advanced stages of AIDS but these are not considered a normal result.

There are exceptions to this rule and some patients were given a better quality of life after receiving homeopathic treatment. The use of conventional drugs takes a toll on the body because of the many side effects. Conventional drugs can stop working if the virus becomes resistant to those drugs.

An advantage to using homeopathic treatment is they can begin immediately when a patient starts displaying symptoms of opportunistic infections. Homeopathy has a history for success in treating infectious diseases. Many of the most fatal infections have successfully been treated with homeopathic treatment.

History shows patients treated with this natural therapy had lower death rates from diseases like scarlet fever, pneumonia, typhoid, and cholera. Hospitals, prisons, and insane asylums experienced high success rates in treating patients with these diseases with homeopathic treatments. Homeopathic medicine is now being used to treat viral infections in the world today.

Present guidelines stress helping the AIDS patient have the best quality of life possible. The goal for each individual is to find the strongest medication with the fewest side effects. Patients should take an active part in deciding what treatment is right for them. The patient and their doctor should discuss the treatment plan, evaluate the risks, and learn the benefits of all therapies before a decision is made. As with any other serious condition, education is the key to understanding the treatment plan you choose. Your decision should be an informed one and you should know that your treatment would be complex and long-term.

These antiretroviral drugs slow down the growth and reproduction of HIV in the cells of the body. There are five classes of these drugs and they include:

• Nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors
• Protease inhibitors
• Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
• Nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors
• Fusion inhibitors

It is important to know how these drugs work and what side effects they may have. Some will cause dizziness, lack of concentration, and sleeplessness. Most of these drugs will also cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and gas. The level of HIV in your blood measures the effects of the drugs. Those in treatment should be tested for viral load ever three to four months.

AIDS Facts

Researchers are trying to develop a chemical that can be used during sex as a barrier to passing on the disease.

New treatments are in development and in clinical trials. Scientists and researchers believe that an AIDS vaccine will not be available soon. There is a new drug undergoing tests that may attack the HIV virus in its final stage and another drug under research that may stop the HIV from entering a cell. These may be available to some patients who have exhausted all other methods of treatments.

Better Your Health

HIV and AIDS Information and Resources

◦ World Health Organization’s AIDS Staging
◦ History of AIDS Looking Closer at the HIV Virus and AIDS
◦ Living With HIV and AIDS
◦ Know the Basics about AIDS
◦ What are the Causes of AIDS
◦ Homeopathic Ways of Treating the AIDS Patient
◦ AIDS and the Nervous System
◦ Options If You Are HIV Positive
◦ The AIDS Patient and Opportunistic Infections
◦ Advanced Signs of the HIV Virus
◦ Tests For the HIV Virus
◦ Other Health Concerns For The AIDS Patient
◦ Prayer And Spirituality Used In The Treatment Of AIDS
◦ How To Prepare For Your AIDS Medical Appointment
◦ Aids and Viral Complications
◦ Parasitic Infections Common to HIV Patients
◦ AIDS Related Lymphoma
◦ Treating AIDS Related Lymphoma
◦ Serious Complications Associated With The HIV Virus
◦ White Blood Cells And AIDS
◦ Neurological Complications Associated with AIDS
◦ What To Do If You Think You Might Have Aids
◦ New Developments In AIDS Research
◦ Coping With Your AIDS Diagnosis
◦ The Symptoms of HIV Infection
◦ Education Is The Key To Stopping the AIDS Epidemic
◦ The Emphasis Must Be On Prevention for HIV and AIDS
◦ AIDS Medical Terms
◦ Take An Active Role In Your AIDS Medical Treatment
◦ Reducing The HIV Risk Factors
◦ Keeping A Positive Outlook For AIDS Patients
◦ Acupuncture To Relieve The Side Effects Of AIDS Treatment
◦ A Healthy Lifestyle Can Help You Treat AIDS
◦ AIDS Patients Are In It For Life
◦ Basic AIDS Information
◦ Do You Need To Let Everyone Know That You Are HIV Positive
◦ Important Vitamins and Minerals for a Person with HIV
◦ Treatments Available for the Patient with HIV or AIDS
◦ Ways You Cannot Get The HIV Virus
◦ Treatments Available for the HIV Positive Woman
◦ Understanding the Basics of HIV
◦ The United States AIDS Policy
◦ Treatment Guidelines for the AIDS Patient
◦ Treating Serious Illnesses in The AIDS Patient
◦ HIV Transmission
◦ How The HIV Virus Progresses
◦ The Fear the AIDS Stigma Brings
◦ I Tested Positive For the HIV Virus: What Now
◦ How To Tell Other People You Are HIV Positive
◦ Facts And Myths Regarding HIV Transmission
◦ Some Recent Advances In The Fight Against AIDS
◦ Preventive Measures You Can Take Concerning HIV Infection
◦ Dates In AIDS History
◦ The Impact of AIDS On MSM, Men Who Have Sex With Men
◦ Dealing With Malnutrition For The HIV Infected Person
◦ Know Your Personal HIV Risk Factors
◦ Keeping Yourself AIDS Free
◦ Are Condoms Effective As Protection Against AIDS Transmission
◦ Juicings Possible Benefits To The Person With HIV
◦ What Are The Initial Signs and Symptoms of HIV Infections
◦ AIDS Faqs
◦ Five Classes of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating AIDS
◦ Dietary Needs And The HIV Patient
◦ Misconceptions About AIDS
◦ Oh No I have AIDS
◦ The Staggering AIDS Statistics
◦ Exercise May Boost Your Imune System
◦ Aids And The Toll On Families
◦ Immunization Needs For Adult AIDS Patients
◦ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: The Basic Facts
◦ Is There A Silver Lining in The Cloud of AIDS

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