Unfortunate “Exposure” to AIDS: The Golden 72 Hour Option
“Some people are at high risk because of unsafe sex, needle sharing and drug injection, while others may be at high risk because of unsafe tattoos, assault, or even medical occupational exposure.
At this point, the person must feel anxious, is it just a matter of fate? No. HIV blocking drugs can give people at high risk a salvage option. But the sooner it is taken care of, the better!
What group of people is suitable for HIV blocking drugs?
It is not certain that if you are infected with the immunodeficiency virus (HIV), you will develop AIDS, because it takes time for the virus to enter the body and break through our immune system before it can multiply and spread in the body.
During this time, HIV blocking drugs can be taken to cut off the replication of the virus and prevent it from spreading from susceptible cells and breaking through the immune barrier. Over time, the initially infected cells will die, and the virus will be removed together without spreading.
So HIV blocking drugs are not for people who have been diagnosed with AIDS, but for people who have had risky behavior with an HIV-infected person or a person whose infection is unknown within 72 hours, such as unprotected intercourse, condom breakage, assault, or occupational exposure.
The earlier the HIV blocking drug is taken, the better, within 2 hours of the incident if possible. Our guidelines recommend taking them for no more than 24 hours, while foreign guidelines recommend no more than 72 hours.
What are the blocking drugs and what are the precautions for taking them?
There are many types and regimens of HIV blocking drugs, divided into recommended regimens, single-drug regimens and alternative regimens. Depending on the availability of drugs in the area, the physician will make the regimen at his or her discretion, generally giving preference to the recommended regimen or the single-drug regimen, or the alternative regimen if no drugs are available.
Commonly used blocking drug regimens include: a single-drug regimen with only akamphetamine; a two-drug combination regimen with akamphetamine combined with dolutegravir sodium or raltegravir; and a three-drug regimen with lopinavir ritonavir and lamivudine then combined with zidovudine or tenofovir. The following points should be noted while taking.
- four weeks of continuous dosing
In order to better block the spread of the virus in the body, you need to insist on taking the drug for 28 days, without interruption, so that the dormant virus does not escape the blockage and lead to infection, making the success rate greatly reduced, while more than 28 days is not necessary.
- Check liver and kidney function after 2 weeks of taking
HIV blocking drugs may affect liver and kidney function, so you need to check liver and kidney function regularly after taking them, and your doctor will make adjustments according to the situation.
- Blocking drugs may prolong the window period
HIV infection is not detected immediately after a person is infected, and it may not be possible to detect HIV antibodies for a period of time to determine whether the person is infected or not.
Finaly
However, after taking blocking drugs, this time may be extended. Therefore, even if you have taken blocking medication for 4 weeks and have no problems with the review, you should go to the hospital for a review 2 months or 3 months after taking the medication to determine whether the blocking is successful.