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Freedom
Pharmacy is your one-stop provider, which includes everything
needed in a complete "Circle of Care" program to help you manage
your disease.
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HIV/AIDS
Aids
is a chronic, life-threatening condition caused by the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging or destroying
the cells of your immune system, HIV interferes with your
body's ability to effectively fight off viruses, bacteria
and fungi that cause disease.
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This makes you more susceptible to certain types of cancers
and to opportunistic infections your body would normally resist,
such as pneumonia and meningitis. The virus and the infection
itself are know as HIV. The term acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS) is used to mean the later stages of an HIV infection.
With
a vaccine probably decades away, the best hope for stemming
the spread of HIV now lies in prevention, treatment and education.
Treatment
A number of medications have been developed to treat both HIV/AIDS
and opportunistic infections. For many people, these treatments
have extended and improved the quality of life. None of these
drugs can cure HIV/AIDS, many have side effects and they are
expensive.
If you have HIV/AIDS, its important that you take an active
role in every treatment decision. Discuss the risks and benefits
of all therapies, with your doctor, so that you can make an
informed decision about what will likely be a complex and long-term
treatment.
How
is HIV Transmitted?
HIV
is transmitted from person to person through the exchange of
fluids. While the HIV virus can be found in all bodily fluids
of an infected person only these fluids contain a high enough
concentration of HIV to transmit the virus:
- Blood
- Semen
- Vaginal
secretions
- Breast
milk
Modes
of Transmission
- Sexual
- unprotected anal, vaginal or oral sex
- Sharing
needles - IV drug use, tattooing, piercing
- Maternal/Child
- before, during & after birth, including breast feeding
- Blood
transfusion before 1985
- Donor
products
- Job
Injury
HIV has
not been proven transmittable by saliva, urine, feces, sweat,
vomit or mucus.
Contact
your healthcare professional. Freedom Pharmacy will work with
your physician to provide all of your medications and updates
on the latest information on treatments and guidelines.
We Care About You and Your Health!
Additional
Information or Links:
AIDSinfo
P.O. Box 6303
Rockville, MD 20849-6303
National Institutes of Health HIV Vaccine Clinical Trials
1-866-833 LIFE (1-866-833-5433)
National Institutes of Health HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials
1-800-243-7644
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