|
 
Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis
- Several blood tests are available to identify HIV infection.
- After diagnosis, further blood testing is recommended every three
to six months to evaluate the progression of the disease and the
need for antibiotics to prevent other infections. In addition,
routine follow–up testing is important to assess the adequacy of
treatment and to monitor for medication side effects.
- All individuals diagnosed with HIV should be tested for other
sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, chlamydia,
syphilis, herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.
Treatment
- Antiviral medications are the standard therapy for HIV. Combination
therapy, in which three or more medications are prescribed simultaneously,
is used to attack the HIV virus from multiple angles. To prevent
the virus from becoming drug resistant, it is essential to follow
the antibiotic regimen precisely.
- As the immune system becomes progressively weakened, antibiotics
are given to prevent further infections from occurring.
- Regular
exercise can reduce some side effects of antiviral treatment. Combinations
of aerobic exercise and progressive resistive exercise (done
for at least 20 minutes at least three times per week) may
also lead to significant reductions in depression and improvements
in heart and lung function.
- Psychological treatments can provide
benefits for persons with HIV. Some evidence suggests that
excessive stress can increase the risk for infections in HIV–positive
persons. In women with HIV, higher stress has been shown to
increase the odds of developing cervical cancer, compared with
women experiencing the least life stress.
|
