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Are there medical treatments for people with HIV disease?

There is no cure for AIDS at this time. However, a variety of treatments are available that can delay the progression of disease for many years, and improve the quality of life of those who have developed symptoms.

There are a number of drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating HIV infection. Health care providers often use a combination treatment to effectively suppress the virus. When multiple drugs (three or more) are used in combination, it is referred to as highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART, and can be used by people who are newly infected with HIV as well as people with AIDS. However, these medications can be expensive, have serious side effects, and may not be available to everyone.

Medications are also used to prevent opportunistic infections if the CD4 count is low enough. This keeps AIDS patients healthier for longer periods of time. Opportunistic infections are treated as they occur.

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