Tag: Virologic failure

Globally, 29.8 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2022, but a significant minority experience treatment failure. Understanding the complex reasons for why might antiretrovirals not work is crucial for both healthcare providers and patients to ensure effective, long-term management of HIV.

Since the widespread implementation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the mid-1990s, the lives of millions with HIV have been saved. However, a growing challenge is the emergence of HIV drug resistance, prompting the critical question: what causes resistance to ARV drugs? This complex issue involves viral, patient, and treatment-related factors that collectively threaten the effectiveness of life-saving therapy.

Globally, the rate of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment failure is estimated at over 6%, with regional variations. Yes, ARVs can fail to work, a situation known as treatment failure, which occurs when the prescribed drug regimen doesn't control the HIV infection.