Question
Is treatment in 2008 better than ten years ago?
21 October 2008. Related: All topics, Starting treatment.
Answer
Yes. We know more how to use treatment and more medications are already available, giving a good choice if side effects with one are difficult. This is a major improvement.
Todays drug formulations have less side effects and require fewer pills and fewer dosing times each day – many are once-daily.
In addition, there are new classes of medications that allow us to treat the virus that is resistant to the existing drugs. The monitoring tests have also been improved substantially.
Nowadays, the life expectancy of a person living with HIV is very near the one of a person who is HIV-negative.
This link is to a chart of currently approved drugs in the UK from Introduction to Combination Therapy.
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