Infections
Medicines for HIV
A virus that damages the immune system if untreated — but with modern treatment it becomes a manageable long-term condition, with a near-normal life expectancy and a virus that can no longer be passed on.
Education and reference only. This explains which medicines are used and why, in plain language — it deliberately contains no doses and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always discuss your own treatment with a qualified clinician, and check the BNF and the product labelling for prescribing detail.
Quick answer
What is HIV?
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) gradually damages the immune system by attacking the CD4 cells that help the body fight infection. Without treatment, the immune system weakens over years and the person becomes vulnerable to serious infections and cancers — the stage known as AIDS.
- How it is treated: HIV is managed by specialist teams and treated with antiretroviral therapy, which today is often a single combination tablet taken each day.
- Self-care: Taking treatment consistently is the most important step.
- When to seek help: If you think you may have been exposed to HIV very recently, seek emergency advice straight away — emergency medicine (PEP) can stop infection taking hold, but it must be started as soon as possible and within 72 hours of the exposure to work, so contact a sexual-health clinic, A&E or 111 without delay.
What it is
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) gradually damages the immune system by attacking the CD4 cells that help the body fight infection. Without treatment, the immune system weakens over years and the person becomes vulnerable to serious infections and cancers — the stage known as AIDS. HIV is passed on through blood and certain body fluids, mainly through sex without a condom, sharing injecting equipment, or from parent to baby during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding. It is not spread by everyday contact such as hugging, sharing cups or using the same toilet. Testing is quick, confidential and widely available, and many people now live full lives with HIV diagnosed and treated early.
How it is treated
HIV is managed by specialist teams and treated with antiretroviral therapy, which today is often a single combination tablet taken each day. The medicines do not cure HIV but keep the virus suppressed so the immune system can recover and stay healthy. When treatment keeps the amount of virus in the blood so low that it cannot be measured, the virus cannot be passed on to sexual partners — this is known as Undetectable = Untransmittable, or U=U. Taking treatment consistently every day is what keeps it working, so support with adherence and regular monitoring are a normal part of care. For people at higher risk, medicine taken before exposure (PrEP) can prevent HIV, and emergency medicine started soon after a possible exposure (PEP) can stop infection taking hold.
For this condition, these medicines
Medicine classes used for HIV
Each links to a full, dose-free guide — what it is, how it works, who can and cannot use it, side effects, interactions and FAQs.
Symptom checker
Symptoms that can point to HIV
HIV can be one cause of these symptoms. Each guide explains the other possible causes and the red-flag warning signs that mean you should get urgent help:
Beyond medication
Lifestyle and self-care
Taking treatment consistently is the most important step. Routine sexual-health care, up-to-date vaccinations, not smoking, and attention to heart, bone and mental health all support long-term wellbeing, as people with HIV now live into older age.
When to get help
When to see a doctor
If you think you may have been exposed to HIV very recently, seek emergency advice straight away — emergency medicine (PEP) can stop infection taking hold, but it must be started as soon as possible and within 72 hours of the exposure to work, so contact a sexual-health clinic, A&E or 111 without delay. For testing, advice or starting treatment, sexual-health clinics offer free, confidential help.
Not sure how urgent it is? It is always OK to call NHS 111 for advice, day or night.
Answers
HIV: frequently asked questions
What medicines are used for HIV?
HIV is treated with antiretroviral medicines, usually combined and often taken as a single tablet each day. They do not cure HIV but keep the virus suppressed so the immune system stays healthy. Taken consistently, they let people live a near-normal lifespan, and when the virus becomes undetectable it can no longer be passed on to sexual partners.
Does having HIV mean I will develop AIDS?
No. AIDS is the advanced stage that can develop only if HIV is left untreated for a long time. With modern treatment started and continued, the immune system stays protected and most people with HIV never reach that stage and live full, healthy lives.
What does Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) mean?
When treatment keeps the amount of virus in the blood so low that standard tests cannot detect it, the virus cannot be passed on to sexual partners. This is described as Undetectable = Untransmittable, or U=U, and it is one of the reasons starting and staying on treatment matters so much.
Can HIV be prevented if I am at risk?
Yes. People at higher risk can take preventive medicine called PrEP before possible exposure, and emergency medicine called PEP can prevent infection if started as soon as possible, and within 72 hours, after a possible exposure. A sexual-health clinic can advise on which is right for you.
Keep reading
Related articles
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NICE CKS: HIV infection and AIDS.
- NICE CKS: HIV and AIDS.
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