Back to contents

Adherence & resistance

Michael Carter

HIV treatment can mean a longer and healthier life. You’ll get the most benefit from your treatment if you take it properly. This is often described as ‘adherence’. If you don’t take HIV treatment properly, then your HIV may become resistant to the drugs you are taking and possibly other, similar drugs.

The first part of this booklet is about adherence, and includes tips on how you can boost your ability to take treatment properly. In the second part of the booklet, the issue of resistance is looked at in more detail.

This booklet is not intended to replace discussion with your doctor. But it should provide you with a better understanding of taking HIV treatment and drug resistance and can be a starting point for discussions about these issues.

Adherence & resistance is also available online in Czech, French and Hebrew.

  • Why taking your HIV treatment properly is so important

    The outlook for people with HIV in the UK has never been better. The right treatment and care can mean that you have a good...

  • What does taking your HIV treatment ‘properly’ involve?

    Taking your drugs properly is often called adherence. Adherence to your HIV treatment means: Taking all the medicines that make up your HIV treatment combination...

  • You and your HIV treatment

    If you are involved in decisions about starting or changing your HIV treatment, and feel comfortable about what you’ve decided, then you’ll be more likely...

  • Your medication

    There are now over 20 HIV drugs available. This means that you and your doctor will usually be able to find a combination that suits...

  • Some things that might help you to take your treatment properly

    Simple forgetfulness is a common reason for missing doses of anti-HIV drugs. If you do forget to take your medication don't be too hard on...

  • Resistance

    As has already been mentioned, one of the possible consequences of not taking your HIV treatment properly is that your HIV will develop resistance to...

  • Reducing the risk of resistance

    Taking your HIV treatment in the correct doses, at the right time, observing any food restrictions and avoiding interactions will reduce the risk of resistance...

  • Cross-resistance

    Once resistance to one anti-HIV drug has developed, this may mean that your HIV is also resistant to other, similar anti-HIV drugs you haven’t yet...

  • Resistance tests

    Blood tests are available which detect whether the HIV in your body is resistant to anti-HIV drugs. It's recommended that drug resistance tests are used...

  • Transmission of drug-resistant virus

    A significant proportion of people contract HIV that is already resistant to one or more anti-HIV drugs. This can happen either through sexual transmission, through...

  • Summary

    Adherence means taking your pills in the prescribed doses at the right time, in the right amount and in the right way. Missing doses or not...

This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.