Diagnosed positive for HIV is perhaps the most devastating medical detection that someone can experience. It is, in true sense, extremely shocking health condition which has literally no cure. But if an HIV infected person is treated properly and if you follow his doctor’s direction word-by-word, then he is surely expected to live a healthy and extended life.

With rapid and amazing development in the area of medical science, today, a number of treatment options are available to the HIV positive individuals. Some of them are discussed here.

• ‘Nucleoside and Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors’, also known as NRTIs – like ‘Atripla’ and ‘Combivir’, they also work jointly with other treatments of HIV which use nucleosides (nukes) to hold back reverse transcriptase. This is a type of protein that AIDS virus or HIV requires to make copies of it. And this way NRTIs can slow down the growth process of the virus. Since such drugs need to be taken once per day, there is less chance that the patient would forget to take the dose. Skipping dose of HIV medication causes blood level of the drug to fall low and resistance development. If HIV becomes resistant to any particular medication, the drug is likely to stop working on that specific individual. To get proper treatment, it is very important that the infected individual gets proper access to HIV AIDS treatment programs.

• Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs) – These are like Rescriptor that blocks reverse transcriptase, but NNRTIs do so without using nucleoside. NNRTIs are often called as ‘non nukes’. This drug can be applied to only adults. The medication should be taken thrice a day which is more frequent than many HIV medicines. Like NRTIs, skipping NNRTIs may also result in lowered level of the drug in the drug and thus resistant development. And as discussed beforehand, if the AIDS virus becomes resistant to any specific drug, then it won’t work anymore on that HIV infected patient.

• Protease Inhibitors (PIs) – These drugs can be used on both children and adults suffering from HIV infection. Drugs such as Norvir and Agenerase while used along with PIs work significantly to block protease, a special type of protein that HIV requires to make copies. Most Protease Inhibitors need to be consumed several times a day; it can go up to 8 times per day depending on what the doctor prescribes.

• Fusion Inhibitors (FIs) – These inhibitors, also referred to as Fuzeon, work completely differently than NNRTIs or NRTIs or PIs. FIs keep HIV from entering into the cell and this way they work on slowing down the progression of HIV infection. Not only do they work differently, they are also applied in a different way than other types of inhibitors. Fusion Inhibitor is applied by injection and mixed in the proper way. If the drug is taken orally, then the stomach acid would destroy its functionality.

Discussed above are the most effective, major and widely practiced treatments of HIV. However, an HIV positive individual should always keep his option open. He should conduct research on HIV treatment using Internet to know about the latest HIV treatment.