Differentiation AIDS – HIV
AIDS (Acquired Immunne Deficiency Syndrome) describes the combination of symptoms that occur as a result of infection with the HI virus. HIV is the infectious virus, AIDS the resulting disease. An HIV-infected person does not have to suffer from AIDS as long as the virus has not broken out in the body.
The therapy of HIV infection (AIDS disease) consists of several important pillars. A drug therapy alone is not enough for this disease. Patients with AIDS should pay attention to a healthy lifestyle in order to reduce other factors that reduce their resistance.
The frequently occurring opportunistic infections and their complications must be avoided or treated. Apart from any individually designed psychosocial help that may be necessary, the actual antiretroviral HIV therapy is of course the most important measure. This so-called HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) is structured as follows: There are many different preparations available for AIDS therapy.
Care should be taken that a combination treatment with at least three antiretroviral substances is used. This is necessary to prevent or at least delay the development of resistance of the HI viruses. As a rule, two so-called NRTI (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors) and one NNRTI (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors) are administered during AIDS therapy.
These are drugs that are intended to control viral replication by inhibiting the enzyme “reverse transcriptase”, which is responsible for the transcription of viral RNA into reproducible DNA. PI (protease inhibitors) are also used. Such an AIDS therapy is indicated, i.e. required or recommended for In order to ensure a successful AIDS therapy, the absolutely reliable intake of the medication by the patient is indispensable.
Only in this way can the development of resistance be contained. – any symptomatic HIV infection
- Any asymptomatic HIV infection in which the number of T-helper cells falls below a certain level (below 350/?l)
- Asymptomatic patients with a T-helper cell count above 350/?l but an increased viral load (30000 – 50000 virus copies/?l)
Furthermore, affected patients can also resort to alternative healing methods or homeopathy. Here there are several remedies, which have different effects: All these homeopathic methods are also used for other patients and are not specifically tailored to the HIV-infected person. – Therapy: Substitution of vitamins (especially A, C, E)Effect: Antioxidative effect against oxygen radicals
- Therapy: Substitution of trace elements (especially selenium, zinc)Effect: Positive effect on the immune system
- Therapy: Immune stimulation (especially by Echinacin)Effect: Stimulation and support of the immune system
Side effects of AIDS therapy
- Buffalo hump: fat increase in the neck
- Abdominal fat gain: fat accumulation on the abdomen
- Breast fat increase: especially in women
- Lipoatrophy: Fat reduction
- Metabolic syndromeThe therapy/administration of NRTIs and PIs often leads to metabolic disorders. The most common are triglyceride and LDL cholesterol increases and HDL cholesterol decreases. But also insulin resistance with blood sugar increases or diabetes mellitus = diabetes are possible.
- Lipodystrophy syndromeA distinction must be made between fat loss and fat gain. These can occur individually or together. The following fat distribution disorders can be observed: buffalo hump: fat increase in the cervical abdomen Fat increase: fat accumulation on the abdomenFat increase in the breast: especially in womenLipoatrophy: fat reduction
- Buffalo hump: fat increase in the neck
- Abdominal fat gain: fat accumulation on the abdomen
- Breast fat increase: especially in women
- Lipoatrophy: Fat reduction
- Changes of the skin exanthema (rash), which have a two-dimensional, knotty appearance, are particularly typical here.
They usually affect the patient’s trunk, are symmetrically distributed and can be very itchy. – HypersensitivityAs with almost all drugs, allergic reactions can occur. However, at around 3%, they are rather rare.
The symptoms usually appear within the first six weeks after the start of therapy. Skin rashes also occur here.
