Why is adherence so important?

Adherence is especially important when it comes to treating HIV infection. From the moment HIV enters the body, the virus is constantly active, finding CD4 cells to infect so that it can reproduce. The goal of HIV treatment is to keep a tight lid on this process, ultimately pushing (and keeping) viral loads undetectable and CD4 cell counts high.

To successfully halt HIV replication and keep viral load suppressed, levels of HIV medications in the blood need to be maintained at high enough levels, 24 hours a day, every day. If the levels become too low, HIV can begin replicating. And if this happens while there are low levels of HIV medication in the bloodstream, the virus can change its structure (mutate) and become resistant to one, or more, of the drugs you're taking. This is called "drug resistance" and it can cause your meds to stop working properly and may limit future treatment options. Drug-resistant HIV can also be transmitted to other people, making it harder for them to treat their own infection.

For more information on drug resistance and the new tests to measure it, click on the following lesson link:

Understanding Drug Resistance & The Tests to Measure It

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