AIDS and HIV Medicines – Broadening Horizons – Part II
The Correct Way of Taking HIV-combatant medicines
There are several HIV-combatant medications available and the doctor would appropriately guide the person in the manner in which the medications need to be taken. However, one needs to carefully consider the below stated pointers, namely:
- All the HIV-combatant medications need to taken as per the guidelines provided by the doctor. If one does not strictly adhere to them, then the HIV strains would develop resistance due to which the future use of the medicine would provide no respite.
- One needs to verify with either the pharmacist or the doctor regarding if the medicines could be taken on an empty stomach. The correct intake of medicines could aid in lowering side effects.
- It is crucial to keep one’s doctor or pharmacist informed of any other type of medicines or dietetic supplements one might be consuming as some of them might react with the HIV-combatant medicines.
Treatment of Opportunistic Infections and Other Associated Problems of HIV and AIDS
One might need to halt the intake of HIV-combatant medications if one is experiencing extreme, niggling side effects due to them. However, one needs to consult with the doctor prior to stopping the dosage.
Additional medications are necessary if one develops an opportunistic infection. In particular situations, the doctors would recommend certain pre-emptive medicines for keeping any form of opportunistic infection from occurring in the initial instance. Certain medicines for safeguarding against the infection might need to be consumed for life to avert a relapse.
Below stated are some of the cases of prevalent opportunistic infections of the related side effects that are caused due to HIV-combatant medicines and the medicines normally prescribed for treating them.
- Anemia - This could be a probable side effect due to lowered red blood cell count. In such cases, Procrit or Epogen (erythropoietin) are prescribed for treating it.
- Cryptococcal meningitis – An infection in the brain region due to a fungal form that is treated by medicines like Fungizone (amphotericin B) administered intravenously and Diflucan (flucanazole) for averting relapse.
- Cryptosporidiosis – An infection caused due to a protozoa that is treated with Zithromax (azithromycin).
- Cytomegalovirus or CMV – A viral form that is known to lead to infections in the eyes. It is treated with Cytovene (ganciclovir), Vistide (cidofovir) and Foscavir (foscarnet).
- Hepatitis C – A form of viral infection that could lead to liver damage. It is treated with a mix of medicines like ribavirin –a pill version and pegalyated interferon that is a once during a week shot.
- Kaposi’s sarcoma – A cancerous form that leads to lesions on the skin’s surface. This would need to be treated with Chemotherapy sessions and immunomodulators.
- Mycobacterium avium complex or MAC - A form of bacterial infection that is treated with a combination of multiple drugs that are preventive in form such as Biaxin (clarithromycin), Zithromax (azithromycin) and Mycobutin (rifabutin).
- Peripheral neuropathy – A kind of damage caused to the nerve that is treated by seizure-halting medicines like Neurontin (gabapentin) and pain-relieving medicines like Lidoderm (lidocain ointment), morphine, Duragesic (fentanyl skin patch).
- Pneumocystis carinii – A virus-induced pneumonia that is prevented by treating with Bactrim or Septra (TMP-SMZ).
Continual Research Work for AIDS and HIV Medicines
Scientists are perpetually trying to evolve novel means for development of AIDS and HIV medicines.
HIV-combatant medicines assist the body in going into offensive mode against HIV. The new-fangled ones in the process of development comprise of:
- Integrase inhibitors – obstructs the HIV’s capacity of inserting its genetic material within the DNA of the cell.
- Maturation inhibitors – that aid in averting the developmental process of HIV’s inner composition.
- Assembly and budding inhibitors – which impedes the concluding phase of HIV’s life cycle.
- Zinc finger inhibitors – these causes a breakage of the composition that holds together the HIV’s inner matter.
- Antisense drugs – This bolts the virus preventing it from carry out any functions.
- Cellular metabolism modulators – that hinders with HIV’s capacity of replicating itself.
Immune therapy aids in building the body’s defense mechanism to combat HIV infection. The novel ones under the process of evolution:
- Gene therapy obstructs the HIV from replicating by creating immune cells which have genetic resistance to HIV infection.
- A host of immune modulators like cytokines that raises the body’s response rate on encountering an HIV infection.
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