HIV Treatment Basics

What is the treatment for HIV?

The recommended treatment for HIV is called antiretroviral therapy (ART).

ART involves taking a combination of HIV medicines called an HIV treatment regimen every day.

You and your doctor or healthcare provider will work together in choosing the best regimen for you based on your needs, possible side effects of HIV medicines and potential drug interactions.

ART doesn’t cure HIV but it will help you live a healthier and long life and also reduces the risk of HIV transmission. 

ART might cause a few side effects but they do go away. If the side effect persists, talk to your healthcare provider about it. 

How do ART work?

When HIV enters your body, it attacks your immune system making it hard for your body to certain diseases and infections 

ART works by preventing HIV from multiplying in your body. By doing this, it reduces the amount of HIV in your body giving your immune system time to recover and be strong to fight of diseases and infections related to HIV. 

When is it time to start taking ART?

If you have been diagnosed with HIV, you should start taking ART as soon as possible. 

If you are a pregnant woman living with HIV and are not already taking ART, you should start taking ART as soon as possible.

Things to remember

Taking your ART daily as prescribed by your healthcare provider will keep you healthy, help you live longer, prevents HIV transmission and reduces the risk of drug resistance.