Since there is no cure for the virus, the aim of HIV treatment is to prevent the virus from continuing to reproduce and to slow down the progression to full-blown AIDS. Anti-HIV medications also can reduce the amount of the virus in the blood, strengthen the body's immune response, and help to fight off opportunistic infections.
Often those with HIV are treated with HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy). What this means is, patients are given a cocktail of medications - a combination of several medications that work in a variety of ways - in order to avoid developing resistances to the drugs.
As with any condition, managing this combination of medications is essential to their effectiveness. Doctors and pharmacists can help develop routines to help patients remember to take their medication, perhaps with a beeper or a reminder system.
In the realm of HIV treatment research, information changes quickly. It's important to keep up-to-date, and there are support groups and informational Web sites available to alert people to new medications, treatments, and breakthroughs in HIV research.
Fortunately, HIV can be prevented. Since the virus is primarily contracted through unprotected sexual contact and through needle-sharing between intravenous drug users, those risk factors must be averted. Proper use of condoms can prevent the spread of HIV and most other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), though they are not 100% reliable.