Life with HIV and alcohol. The effect of alcohol on HIV infected. HIV test after alcohol

The human immunodeficiency virus and its effect on the body is known to many people. Whether it is possible to drink alcohol with HIV, whether HIV therapy and alcohol are combined - these questions still cause controversy in medical circles. Some experts express opinions that the use of alcoholic beverages in such a disease is quite acceptable within reasonable limits. Opponents of this opinion argue that any, even a very small dose of alcohol, can aggravate the patient's condition. To better understand the views of both sides, it is worth considering the impact of alcohol on the human body and how ART and alcohol interact.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (ARVT) is a treatment for HIV infection that consists of taking three or four drugs. With this therapy, many HIV-infected people can lead normal lives today.

Short term effects of alcohol

Alcoholic beverages are consumed by many people in order to relax and get some pleasure. According to most people, alcohol in moderation helps to relieve stress, promotes relaxation of the body and whets the appetite. However, with all this, alcohol can also adversely affect mood and cause problems of a physical, psychological and social nature.

According to the recommendations of doctors, it is undesirable for men to drink more than 3 or 4 units of alcohol per day (1 unit is equal to a glass of wine or about a quarter liter of regular strength beer). For women, the daily maximum is 2-3 units. You should not drink a large amount of alcohol at a time, even if you haven’t taken it for several days before - this is the so-called spree system, which is quite common in our country among those who drink alcohol. Pregnant and planning women are strongly advised to completely avoid the use of alcoholic beverages.

Important! A hangover condition implies a headache, fatigue, dry mouth, feeling unwell - all these are quite common consequences of alcohol abuse. This condition occurs due to dehydration and poisoning of the body, which is why it is recommended to drink plenty of water when drinking alcohol.

Even a small dose of alcohol can easily affect a person's coordination, his ability to respond to external stimuli and make various decisions. When driving road vehicles and working with mechanisms, the use of alcohol, even in small doses, is prohibited by law, so this can lead to serious consequences. Drinking alcohol in excessive amounts may well lead to disastrous consequences for any organism, up to death.

Long term effects of alcohol

Long-term alcohol abuse (for men - more than 10 units per day, for women - more than 6) can be detrimental to health, because alcohol affects such important organs as the brain, liver and heart. In addition, it causes psychological and physical alcohol dependence.

People who abuse alcohol often have malnutrition, which leads to further problems. Alcohol has the properties of a depressant, which only exacerbates emotional problems with prolonged consumption. The combination of alcoholic beverages with drugs can lead to irreparable consequences for the body.

Alcohol and HIV

There is currently no evidence that drinking in moderation can harm an HIV-positive person. Alcohol abuse affects the immune system and slows down its recovery from illness, which can and will affect treatment. Experiments conducted on animals show that alcohol in large quantities negatively affects the functioning of various elements of the immune system. People with HIV who consumed a lot of alcohol and did not undergo ART showed a decrease in CD4 cells, which are already affected by the virus. The difference in the number of such cells between drinkers and non-drinkers on ART is insignificant, but the former are more likely to miss medications.

Alcoholic beverages affect the liver, which plays an important role in the processing of ARV drugs. With alcohol dependence, cholesterol levels rise, which these drugs can also contribute to. To date, no significant effect of alcohol on ARVs has been found, but the side effects of some drugs may be aggravated by alcohol. In addition, alcoholic beverages can cause vomiting and nausea. If a person vomits within an hour of taking an ARV drug because they drank alcohol, then the medication should be repeated to achieve the desired result, and alcohol should be stopped.

Prohibition of the use of alcoholic beverages with HIV

There are diseases and disorders of the body in which the use of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited. These include:

• Acute and chronic hepatitis C;
• Cirrhosis of the liver;
• Chronic diseases of the genitourinary system;
• Advanced form of HIV infection.

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it will have a detrimental effect on drugs that support the body with HIV infection, simply washing them out of it.

Important: The development of infection occurs in the absence of taking the necessary medications, as well as with excessive drinking. In the absence of the necessary therapy in the human body, the number of CD4 cells decreases, which leads to a deterioration in his health. Therefore, drinking alcohol with HIV is allowed only in small doses, so as not to aggravate the course of the infection.

Of all alcohol, red wine in small doses is considered the least harmful to the body - it does not cause a hangover and has a mild effect on the body. Light weak beer is also acceptable. It is better to completely refuse strong alcohol. Drinks such as pure alcohol, various tinctures, liquor, cognac, absinthe are unacceptable for HIV-positive people who are addicted to alcohol.

It should be understood that a moderately drinking person differs from a person who has been drinking for a long time with a diagnosed alcoholism in terms of the perception of alcohol. When you drink for a long time, the body gets used to the effects of alcohol and reacts worse to drugs. HIV is an extremely serious disease that, with an irresponsible lifestyle, quickly turns into AIDS. It is very important to take care of your health and not burden the body with alcohol to all difficult trials.

According to recent studies, a large proportion of patients miss taking ART due to the presence of alcoholic beverages in the body. Some people stop taking medication for a while until the body is completely cleansed of alcohol. And this is always a big risk and in the end nothing good will end.

HIV is an incurable disease that destroys the immune cells of its carrier every day. The status of a lifelong diagnosis makes carriers wonder what restrictions will now accompany it. One common question is: How compatible are HIV and alcohol? At different periods of a person's life and the stage of development of the disease, the answer will be different. It is necessary to clearly understand what risks accompany the patient in order to properly manage their lives.

The human immunodeficiency virus infects the cells of the immune system. The reaction of the body to such exposure is individual and depends on many factors:

• The rate of development of the virus;
• Features of the human immune system;
• The presence of chronic diseases;
• General epidemiological situation and other factors.

The action of various substances, including alcohol, does not give unambiguous results. This is due to the fact that the very development of the disease is strictly individual, and the fact that the number of subjects is small. All over the world, experiments on humans are prohibited, therefore, lifestyle data of patients is analyzed to obtain information. Under such conditions, it is difficult to take into account all the factors and causes of a particular reaction.

Studies have shown that alcohol has a detrimental effect on immune cells (CD4), weakening the human immune system. In HIV-positive people, the immune system is already affected, so alcohol can accelerate the progression of the disease.

Alcohol and HIV

HIV infection can be in the body in two states - resting and active. During the dormant period, the virus does not multiply and does not attack healthy cells of the immune system, so the person's defenses are restored. During this period, alcohol with HIV is allowed in small quantities. During the activation of the virus, the effect of alcohol on the body can be fatal.

Advice! If there is a need to drink an alcoholic drink (for example, on a holiday), you should consult with your doctor if the state of the body allows you to do this and in what quantities.

Does alcohol affect the risk of HIV infection?

HIV has several modes of transmission:

· Sexual contact;

Use of one needle;

Improper sterilization of laboratory equipment, etc.

Infection with the disease occurs through contact with the biological fluid of an HIV patient. The direct influence of alcoholic products on the infection process has not been identified. But, alcohol affects the human brain, deactivating its rational thinking. Under the influence of alcohol, a person does not control his actions and can make dangerous contact, which will lead to infection.

Short term effects of alcohol

The effect of alcohol on a person is caused by the fact that alcohol in the human body decomposes into aldehyde, which is a poison. This substance enters the bloodstream and after a while appears in all human systems, killing cells.

In the human body, only one organ is responsible for neutralizing poisons - the liver, so alcohol primarily affects it. Since all aldehyde molecules are not destroyed in one run of blood through the liver, it enters the brain, heart, lungs, etc.

In the presence of HIV, such an effect of alcohol can stimulate the intensive development of concomitant diseases:

• Hepatitis C (in the liver);
• Asthma (in the lungs);
• Diseases of the cardiovascular system and so on.

Long term effects of alcohol

The long-term effect of alcohol on the body is due to the fact that highly specialized cells of the body cannot be restored. The body repairs systems with a small supply of stem cells that travel to the site of damage. The constant use of alcohol leads to the fact that the body's reserve is depleted and further recovery becomes impossible.

An additional burden on the body is the fact that alcohol molecules dehydrate tissues. This leads to disturbances in nerve conduction, which can lead to convulsions, migraines, thrombosis, damage to the oral and nasal mucosa.

The effect of alcohol on a patient with HIV infection

There are several risk factors for HIV patients:

• Addiction;
• Smoking;
• Alcoholism.

These habits significantly reduce the body's defenses, contributing to the development of infections. In this case, the life span of an HIV patient is reduced by several decades.

Alcohol promotes tissue death, accelerating the development of gangrene in the later stages of HIV and hepatitis C.

Can an infected person drink alcohol?

There is no absolute ban on the consumption of alcohol by HIV-infected people. Such a patient should check the state of health before each intake of alcohol on holidays or memorable dates.

Advice! Health should be checked before and after drinking alcoholic beverages.

In the presence of a concomitant disease: cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis C or serious disorders of the cardiovascular system, alcohol is strictly contraindicated.

How to get tested for HIV

A blood test is taken to determine HIV infection. To determine the virus before the HIV test, it is not recommended to eat 8 hours. Otherwise, the blood cells stick together, making it difficult to determine the disease.

An infected patient donates blood from a vein. After that, a PCR analysis is carried out and a verdict is issued. It is necessary to take an analysis when planning a pregnancy, applying for a number of professions, or if desired, if infection is suspected.

Complete blood count and alcohol

In the diagnosis of certain diseases, the presence of aldehydes in the blood is checked. When certain organs malfunction, this substance can be produced. Alcohol decomposes in the body into aldehydes. If a person consumed alcohol before taking a general blood test, he may be given a false diagnosis.

Important! Do not drink alcohol before taking a blood test! This can lead to misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment.

Donating blood for biochemical analysis

When conducting a biochemical blood test, not only the condition and number of human blood cells are checked, but also the presence of certain chemical compounds. These substances can indicate the disease or cause of the inflammatory process, being an accurate marker of disorders.

The norms of the results of this analysis are designed for morning performance, when the body is not emotionally and physically overloaded. Therefore, before passing such an analysis, you should refrain from drinking alcohol, fatty foods, smoking, heavy physical exertion (2 hours before the analysis.

Dizziness and loss of consciousness

Drinking alcohol is accompanied by a number of sensations:

• Dizziness;
• Nausea;
• Loss of orientation in space;
• Violation of coordination of movements;
• Violation of the speech apparatus, etc.

All these symptoms are due to the fact that the alcoholic beverage in the body breaks down to poisonous aldehyde. This substance enters all body systems through the blood and damages cells. The rapid death of the cells of a particular system leads to disruption of its work. So, when brain cells are damaged, coordination and speech are disturbed.

Feeling of nausea, vomiting

The digestive system suffers the least from the action of alcohol, since the formation of aldehydes occurs in the blood outside. With a severe overdose, these molecules return back to the digestive system, after which symptoms of indigestion appear - nausea and vomiting. Both processes are a protective reaction of the body to a negative impact and are designed to prevent the absorption of poisons into the blood.

People after alcohol can feel such symptoms the next day, as the system does not have time to respond to danger in time.

Blood tests when alcohol is allowed

In modern medicine, there are no blood sampling methods in which alcohol is allowed immediately before the test. Alcohol and aldehyde clog the apparatus and neutralize the reagents, which is why the diagnostics give false results.

Can I drink alcohol during therapy?

An HIV-infected person is constantly in a state of therapy. There are several forms of antiretroviral therapy, consisting in various combinations of drugs. Passive ART and alcohol are quite compatible, as it is aimed at maintaining a normal state during the dormant period of the virus.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy is prescribed when the virus is activated or the disease progresses intensively. It is contraindicated for a person who takes such medicines to drink alcohol.

In order to decide whether it is possible to drink alcohol during HIV therapy, it is necessary to consult a doctor or carefully study the instructions for all prescribed drugs. If the medicine and alcohol are incompatible, you should not drink until the drug stops.

Prohibition of the use of alcoholic beverages with HIV

If the negative effect of alcohol on a patient with HIV is established, its further use in any quantities is prohibited. Such people should not use a product that is based on alcohol - tinctures and alcohol extracts.

Living with HIV always comes with a number of limitations. Their observance makes it possible to live a long and dignified life. Violation of prohibitions will accelerate the development of the disease and various consequences - gangrene, cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure, etc.

Effects of alcohol on HIV

If a person with HIV status cannot give up a harmful addiction, this can lead to serious consequences:

• Intensive development of cirrhosis of the liver;
• Increased asthma symptoms;
• The development of gangrene of the extremities;
• Partial destruction of parts of the nervous system (conduction disturbance, permanent incoordination, hallucinations)

In addition to these symptoms, it is important to understand that the systematic use of alcohol will lead to a significant reduction in the life span of the patient.

Mistakes

For people with AIDS, there are a number of rules, the observance of which will allow you to live a full life. One of the main mistakes of HIV-positive citizens is an erroneous understanding of their condition: a person feels good and allows himself certain actions - skip medication or drink alcohol. It is impossible to determine the exact state of the body without analysis, so you cannot rely on your own feeling.

Advice! You should not try to determine your condition yourself. This can lead to dire consequences. It is important to always get tested.

Another serious mistake of patients is consultation with other people suffering from this disease. HIV is strictly individual and the response to certain exposures can vary greatly. You can not rely on the experience of another patient before committing certain actions. Only a doctor can give competent advice.

Restrictions

For an HIV patient with alcoholism, the consequences can be completely unpredictable. The use of large doses of alcohol is contraindicated at any stage of the development of the disease.

Even if the doctor allowed you to drink, the portion should be small - no more than one glass of wine.

Diet plays an important role in maintaining the normal state of health of an infected person.

Advice! If you have HIV, you should refrain from eating fatty, salty, spicy, large amounts of carbohydrates.

Treatment of alcoholism and prevention of HIV infection

With the use of HIV pills, the treatment of alcohol dependence is more difficult. Many HIV drugs are incompatible with drugs for alcohol dependence. Prevention of HIV infection in itself greatly burdens the body and the use of additional drugs is contraindicated.

Some treatments may add drugs that block alcohol cravings. Otherwise, a person must rely on his willpower. A transition to a healthy lifestyle can help in this matter, when not only food changes, but also a lifestyle in which there is no place for alcohol.

Treatment of drug addiction is even more difficult in HIV therapy. There is an opinion that drug addiction cannot be treated with such a diagnosis, since drugs that block drug cravings are very strong in themselves. According to statistics, drug addicts live the least with a diagnosis of HIV, since the drug reduces the body's defenses and the help of doctors becomes impossible.

The question of whether it is compatible HIV treatment with any, even rare and insignificant use of alcohol, is still a controversy in medical circles. Opinions differ. Some experts are of the opinion that everything is good in moderation. Opponents of this opinion argue that even a small dose of alcohol can aggravate the patient's condition. To understand what to do in this case, it is worth understanding the effect of alcoholic beverages on the body infected with HIV.

Depending on the stage of development of the disease itself, the degree will vary. The general list of actions provided by alcohol includes:

• provoking complications in the course of existing diseases;
• complication of the development of infection;
• malfunctions in the functioning of the systems of internal organs.

Speaking about the moral side of the issue, taking into account the peculiarities of alcohol to influence the memory and behavior of a person, an HIV-infected patient, under the influence of alcoholic beverages, can cause infection of other people. Through unprotected intercourse.

We are talking about the significant use of alcohol, which leads to an uncontrollable state. The minimum doses of alcohol will allow the patient to relax, reduce stress, improve blood circulation. Such changes play an important role in the process of antiretroviral therapy (ART).

For those patients whose willpower allows them to control themselves, there is a norm for taking alcoholic products, which is the equivalent of 50 ml of vodka. This is 500 ml of beer, a glass of wine (80-100 ml) and a shot of any strong alcohol (no more than 60 g). The frequency of use should not exceed one or two times a week. In this case, alcohol will not harm HIV patients.

HIV test after alcohol

Blood changes its composition depending on the substances entering the body. The intake of alcoholic beverages affects some quality indicators determined in the study:

• hemoglobin level;
• the amount of cholesterol;
• erythrocyte content.

Therefore, an HIV test after alcohol can give:

1. False positive result, and the person will get the strongest stress. In addition, the medicines used in the treatment of the disease in the absence of infection will cause irreparable harm to the immune system. The consequences of such therapy can be autoimmune diseases, and even death.
2. False negative result no less dangerous: the patient begins to experience unreasonable hopes and refuses the necessary treatment, thereby provoking the progression of the disease. In addition, there is a risk of infecting other people.

Doctors advise to undergo a blood test for HIV no earlier than 72 hours after drinking alcohol - during this period the body is completely cleansed of the presence of ethanol decay products. And the result will be the most correct.

• Narcologist, Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist
• Experience 19 years
• Doctor of the highest category, Candidate of Medical Sciences. Diagnosis and treatment of alcohol and drug addiction.

The human immunodeficiency virus is a serious disease. Among people suffering from this infection, there are many who abuse the intake of alcoholic beverages. Research scientists prove that HIV and alcohol are incompatible concepts.

Read also

Read also

The effect of alcohol on a patient with HIV infection

It has been proven that alcohol has a negative effect on human organs and systems. Regarding the question of whether it is possible to drink alcohol with HIV infection, there are conflicting opinions of scientists. Some believe that small doses of alcohol will not harm and will not accelerate the development of the underlying disease. Others say that drinking alcohol with HIV is unacceptable.

A person should always know the measure in the use of alcoholic beverages. The World Health Organization considers that the maximum alcoholic dose per day for a healthy adult male is 30 ml of pure ethyl alcohol. 10 g corresponds to the following indicators:

• 30 ml of alcohol, 40% alcohol;
• 75 ml 17-20% alcohol;
• 100 ml of alcohol, strength 11-13%;
• 250 ml 5% alcohol.

Strong drinks include cognac, alcohol, whiskey. They are inferior in strength to wine, port or vermouth. Champagne, dry wine are considered less strong. The smallest amount of alcohol is found in beer.

With a stable course of the disease and normal tolerance for alcohol-containing drinks, an HIV patient can take 1-2 units of alcohol. This is 1-2 glasses of beer, a glass of wine. The patient is allowed to use such doses no more than 1 time per week. It is better not to take stronger drinks at all, as this is considered an unacceptable burden on a weakened body.

Even for a healthy person, an excessive dose of alcohol will only bring harm. Many diseases are exacerbated by the abuse of alcohol-containing drinks. This also applies to HIV infection.

Ethyl alcohol affects the patient in different ways, depending on the stage of development of the disease. Alcohol contributes to the development of complications, weakens the body. With the abuse of alcohol-containing products, malfunctions in the work of internal organs occur. The body experiences an additional load on the human immune system. In this case, drug treatment becomes ineffective.

It is known that a person in a state of intoxication is capable of such acts that he would not have committed if he was sober. An infected patient enters into sexual relations, not caring that he will infect another person. He tends to have sexual relations with several sexual partners, including high-risk ones (prostitutes, drug addicts). Alcohol dulls the sense of risk, the awareness of prohibitions. The patient may miss the mandatory intake of medications, which is unacceptable.

A group of American scientists conducted a study. The analysis showed that in the body of a patient with HIV, CD4 cells responsible for the functioning of the immune system are affected. With the abuse of alcohol, their number is significantly reduced. It was also found that people who abuse alcohol were more likely to suffer from anemia.

Scientists from Florida conducted the study for more than two years. They observed patients on antiretroviral therapy and taking drugs.

Volunteers from the first group drank alcohol daily for two or more drinks. Patients from the second group drank only one alcoholic drink per day.

This study showed that moderate amounts of alcohol did not affect the development of the virus. Regular and uncontrolled drinking of alcohol reduced the number of CD4 cells at a high rate. If drugs were added to alcohol, then the body's defenses fell sharply.

From the experiments carried out, we can conclude that alcohol weakens the immune system, increases the load on the body and all organ systems. But these data were obtained only for HIV-infected people who also use drugs.

It is still too early to talk about an unambiguous objective assessment of the experiments. The participation of more HIV-infected people and longer studies is required.

HIV patients take APB drugs (antiretroviral therapy) to support the liver. They increase low density cholesterol. When alcohol is taken, such cholesterol increases by itself. As a result, the liver is under heavy load.

The patient has to take several medications to maintain health. Alcohol also has a diuretic effect. The active ingredients in the composition of the drugs will be excreted from the body much faster.

If a person is prone to alcohol addiction, then it is better not to drink. Of great importance are the individual characteristics of the organism. For some people, even small doses of alcohol are harmful. A poisoned organism is difficult to treat.

It is believed that with antiviral therapy, drinking alcohol will even be beneficial. Antiviral drugs contain poison, and alcohol allegedly neutralizes them. In fact, the effect of drugs is reduced and the patient receives ineffective treatment. As a result, human life expectancy is reduced.

Alcohol is able to kill the virus, but it is impossible to drink it with a strength of 90%. Such a drink is almost fatal.

The primary prevention of HIV infection is the treatment of alcohol and drug dependence.

Effects of alcohol on HIV

Alcoholism in HIV aggravates the patient's condition. The immune system weakens and the likelihood of catching concomitant ailments increases, for example:

• tuberculosis;
• pneumonia;
• hepatitis C.

Darkening of the lungs with pneumonia

Tuberculosis, together with HIV infection, is a serious threat to life. Those infected are more likely to become infected with mycobacteria, which become more resistant to antibiotics. HIV patients often have latent or active tuberculosis. They can pass this infection on to other people.

Pneumonia is a common cause of death in HIV. People with normal immune systems are able to defend themselves against viruses, while those with weakened immune systems quickly pick up pneumococcal infections. Lack of proper treatment leads to dangerous consequences. The patient is affected by the bone marrow, lymph nodes, liver.

Often HIV-infected people die from hepatitis. These two diseases are closely related. Viral hepatitis directly affects the liver tissue. Therapeutic methods used for HIV destroy healthy organ tissue. Together, these two diseases cause liver failure. Doctors strongly recommend reducing the amount of alcohol you take or stop drinking.

Alcoholics have elevated cholesterol levels. Some antiviral drugs have the same effect. As a result, liver problems get worse.

Patients who constantly take alcohol-containing drinks often suffer from side effects from taking medications. These can be gastrointestinal disorders, skin rashes, chronic fatigue. Some have fat deposition in a certain part of the body and a decrease in others.

HIV-infected patients should know not to skip their ARVs, even if they have consumed alcohol. The result of therapy carried out with the disease becomes much better in patients who have stopped drinking.

With HIV, the patient must lead a healthy lifestyle, completely abandon alcohol, as his life is at risk. The disease can go into the stage of AIDS, and this is a more dangerous disease.

Collapse

Ethyl alcohol has a negative effect on the body and causes persistent psychological dependence, and as a result, mental disorders occur in alcoholism. The compatibility of this substance with diseases in which immunodeficiency occurs is not fully understood. Doctors disagree on this. If you drink alcohol and have a history of HIV, the consequences can be very different. And often they are negative and aggravate the patient's condition.

The effect of alcohol on a patient with HIV infection

The impact of ethyl alcohol on the patient's body depends to a greater extent on the stage of development of the pathology. It has been proven that alcoholism provokes the manifestation of complications during the course of the disease, and there is also an additional weakening of the body, which contributes to the development of infections. Regular drinking of alcoholic beverages provokes malfunctions of the internal organs. All this is very dangerous for a person with HIV.

Scientists have registered such a negative effect with the systemic use of alcohol, that is, with abuse. In this case, the immune system will be further suppressed and even drugs will not be effective.

Alcoholism provokes the manifestation of complications in the course of the disease

In addition, one should not exclude the fact that alcohol affects the psyche and behavior of a person. Because of this, an infected person can enter into an intimate relationship without protection, and without warning a partner about his illness. That is, he loses control over the situation, which leads to life-threatening consequences for other people.

Studies have shown that if a person with HIV consumes alcohol, the number of CD4 cells in his body decreases significantly. In the body of an infected person, they are already affected.

This applies to those who have not received special antiretroviral therapy. If the patient undergoes this therapy, then the difference is not so significant.

Do not forget about the effect of alcohol on the liver of an HIV-infected person who is also taking ARV treatment. Alcohol abuse increases low-density cholesterol, and ARVs also have this effect. Therefore, the load on the liver will be very large. It is also dangerous to take drugs and alcohol together, as alcohol has a diuretic effect. Because of this, the active ingredients of the drugs will be rapidly excreted from the body through the urinary system.

Can an infected person drink alcohol?

It is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol for HIV-infected people if the pathology stage is already advanced and the patient's condition is severe even without alcohol.

Some doctors claim that a small amount of alcoholic beverages occasionally has a positive effect on patients. A glass of beer or a glass of red wine will help relieve tension, stress, improve blood circulation, etc., which has a positive effect on a patient with such a serious incurable disease.

It is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol for HIV-infected people if the pathology stage is already running

It is important to understand that if a person cannot stop on time and limit himself to only a glass of wine, then there is no need to drink at all. It is also worth considering the individual characteristics of the body. Some people do not tolerate even minimal doses of alcohol, then they are not recommended to drink it at all. Since there will be a long-term intoxication of the body, which will have a bad effect on the general course of the disease.

With normal tolerance to alcohol and a stable course of pathology, patients are allowed 1-2 units of alcoholic beverages. They equate to 250-500 ml of beer, 50-100 ml of spirits, or 60-150 ml of wine. This amount of alcohol can be drunk no more than 1 time per week.

A person with HIV or AIDS who consumes hard liquor may miss another dose of medication. And for such a patient, this is simply catastrophic.

Effects of alcohol on HIV

People with a history of alcohol use with HIV are more likely to develop negative health outcomes. The main thing is a strong weakening of the immune system and, as a result, an increased viral load in patients taking ARV drugs.

Alcohol significantly increases the chances of an HIV-infected person catching infections such as:

• Pneumonia;
• Tuberculosis;
• Hepatitis C viral etiology.

According to statistics, hepatitis C is the most common cause of death in patients with this disease. Even with the systemic use of alcohol in AIDS patients, brain damage and their rapid development are observed.

A person with a history of HIV infection should understand that taking ARV therapy as prescribed by a doctor will be able to live a normal life. To do this, you should lead a healthy lifestyle. Antiretroviral drugs reduce the damage to immune cells that occurs when the virus is activated. To prevent HIV from turning into AIDS, you must follow all the doctor's instructions. Alcohol only harms a weakened immune system.

HIV and AIDS infographic

Doctors note that the most common side effects from drugs occur in those infected who regularly drink alcohol along with drugs.

These include:

• bouts of nausea and vomiting;
• chronic fatigue;
• rashes on the skin;
• psychoemotional disorders;
• stool disorder (diarrhea);
• a particular side effect of these drugs is the presence of fat deposits in one particular part of the body, but at the same time in others, adipose tissue is rapidly decreasing.

Such symptoms are very alarming in the presence of HIV infection in the body, so it is better for a person to lead a correct lifestyle and give up bad habits. In this case, negative manifestations can be minimized, subject to the regular use of drugs.