A-Med Specialty Pharmacy is dedicated to serving patients living with HIV/AIDS. Our pharmacy will carefully monitor medications in order to customize each individual's needs based on the patient's health history.

Disease Overview
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV damages your immune system causing your body to be more susceptible to cancers and other infections your body would normally resist. These viruses and the infections are what are known as HIV. AIDS is the name given to describe the later stages of an HIV infection.

Causes of HIV/AIDS
White blood cells and antibodies are used to attack and destroy foreign organisms that enter your body. The white blood cells are called CD4 lymphocytes. The HIV virus targets, attaches and eventually enters these cells. Once inside the lymphocytes cells the virus makes its own genetic material and makes copies of itself. Once the virus enters the bloodstream they begin to attack other cells. The virus often kills these cells and leaves the body with an immune deficiency where the body is unable to fight off viruses and bacteria.

HIV is transmitted
You can become infected with the HIV virus through:

1. Sexual transmission.
2. Transmission through infected blood.
3. Transmission through needle sharing.
4. Transmission through accidental needle sticks.
5. Transmission from mother to child.
6. There may be other rare forms of transmitting the HIV virus.

Symptoms of HIV/AIDS
The symptoms of HIV/AIDS depend on the stage of the virus.

Early stages of infection:
During the entail stages of the HIV virus there may be no symptoms at all. If symptoms are occurring the most common symptoms that occur are a flu-like illness including:

1. Headache
2. Sore Throat
3. Fever
4. Rash

Later stages of infection:
As the virus continues to attack the body's cells, more symptoms will occur.

During the first eight-nine years of being infected:

1. Weight Loss
2. Diarrhea
3. Fever
4. Cough and shortness of breath

Approximately 10 or more years after being infected:

1. Soaking night sweats
2. Dry cough and shortness of breath
3. Shaking chills and fever
4. Chronic diarrhea
5. White spots or unusual lesions on the tongue or mouth
6. Headaches
7. Blurred and distorted vision
8. Weight loss
9. Persistent fatigue

Treatment of HIV/AIDS
Scientist and doctors have worked for over 20 years to develop medications to help HIV infection symptoms. These medications will help to extend and improve HIV/AIDS patient’s quality of life, although medications are not a cure for HIV/AIDS and have many side effects that can be severe.

Source: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research