HIV Treatment Goals
Two important goals of treatment for people with HIV are to:
- Keep your viral load (the amount of HIV in your blood) as low as possible
- Increase your CD4+ cell count
Increasing your CD4+ cell count and reducing the amount of HIV in your blood may make your immune system stronger. As a result, this may reduce the risk of serious problems that can happen when your immune system is weak.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV):
The virus that causes AIDS.
CD4+ Cell Count:
The number of CD4+ cells in a blood sample. Helps healthcare professionals show whether treatment
is working. Even if your CD4+ cell count has increased with treatment, you can still pass HIV on to others
Viral Load:
The amount of HIV found in a blood sample. When viral load goes up or down, your healthcare professional
can get an idea of how well treatment is working.
Immune System:
The group of cells and organs whose job is to protect the body from infections.
