HIV/AIDS Treatment Specialist

South Florida Care Center

Infectious Disease Specialists & Primary Care Practice located in Pompano Beach, FL & Fort Lauderdale, FL

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic health condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While there’s no cure for HIV or AIDS, Thierre Alphonse, APRN, Lazaro Salgado, APRN, and the team at South Florida Care Center in Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offer HIV/AIDS treatment that decreases progression of the disease. To learn more about HIV/AIDS treatment from the infectious disease specialists, call the office nearest you, or schedule an appointment online today.

HIV/AIDS Treatment Q&A

What is HIV and AIDS?

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV damages your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off infections and diseases, leading to AIDS.

It takes years for HIV to cause AIDS. While there’s no cure for HIV/AIDS, advances in medical science have led to treatments that can slow the progression of the disease.

The infectious disease specialists at South Florida Care Center provide HIV/AIDS testing for insured patients and the appropriate treatment.

What is HIV/AIDS treatment?

HIV/AIDS treatment includes antiretroviral (ART) medications. These medications reduce the amount of HIV in your body, slowing down the rate of damage to your immune system.

ART is a combination of medications from several classes of drugs that block the virus in different ways, such as:

Turning off the protein that HIV uses to replicate
Creating faulty versions of the HIV building blocks
Preventing HIV from infiltrating your immune cells (CD4 T cells)

With ART, these medications are combined in one pill, which you take daily.

Most people can gain control over the virus within six months after starting HIV/AIDS treatment.

When should I start HIV/AIDs treatment?

You should start HIV/AIDS treatment right after you get a diagnosis. The South Florida Care Center team recommends HIV/AIDS treatment for all patients who test positive for HIV, even patients who develop HIV-related complications.

Delaying HIV/AIDS treatment puts your health at risk. It also increases your risk of transmitting the virus to your sexual partners.

What are the benefits of HIV/AIDS treatment?

HIV/AIDS treatment offers many benefits. In addition to helping you stay healthy, treatment:

Keeps your immune system strong
Lowers your risk of getting an infection
Reduces your risk of developing treatment-resistant HIV
Lowers your risk of transmitting HIV to other people

HIV/AIDS treatment lowers your HIV viral load, potentially to undetectable levels. If you have an undetectable viral load, your risk of transmitting the virus to other people drops significantly.

You must continue to take your ART medication to keep your viral load undetectable. If you miss a dose, HIV can multiply quickly, weakening your immune system.

To learn more about HIV/AIDS treatment at South Florida Care Center, call the office or schedule a consultation online today.

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