Pre-exposure prophylaxis, also known as PrEP, is a treatment medicine that can help prevent Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It is a treatment for individuals at a higher risk of getting HIV – a virus that hinders the body’s ability to fight infections. Unlike other viruses, your body cannot eliminate HIV. But luckily, PrEP East Village can help lower your chances of getting an HIV infection in the first place.
Who can use PrEP medication?
Anyone at a high risk of contracting HIV due to lifestyle choices like having multiple sexual partners and intravenous drug use may consider PrEP treatment. Consulting your healthcare provider will help determine if PrEP is right for you. During the consultation, it is essential to be as honest as possible – your healthcare provider is there to help and not judge you. Providing accurate information allows your nurse or doctor to help you best.
Your nurse or doctor may recommend this treatment if you:
- Your sexual partner has HIV
- You engage in unprotected sex
- You have shared needles to inject drugs in the last six months
- You have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease within the previous six months
- Have used PEP multiple times
Pregnant women with a high risk of HIV can take PrEP to prevent them and the baby from contracting the virus. The same applies if you are breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant. Understand that PrEP differs from PEP – the latter is generally an ongoing daily pill or bi-monthly shot for people at risk of HIV. On the other hand, PEP is a short-term treatment for people exposed to HIV within the last 72 hours.
How to use PrEP
There are three ways you can use PrEP to prevent contracting HIV. For instance, you can take the drugs as a daily pill orally or as a bi-monthly shot. If you get the medicine in the form of injections, you will receive two shots at the start. Afterward, your healthcare provider will administer one shot every two months. You can also take PrEP only when you are at risk of getting HIV, known as event-driven or non-daily PrEP. This means taking two pills two to 24 hours before having sex – 1 pill 24 hours after your first dose and another 24 hours after the second dose. Your nurse or doctor can help determine if this option is right for you.
How effective is PrEP?
When taken correctly, PrEP is 99% effective at lowering your chances of getting HIV. It is even safer to have protected sex when using PrEP. The medications can also reduce your risk of getting HIV from sharing needles by more than 70%. Your healthcare provider will discuss the importance of using PrEP correctly, meaning on time. Skipping pills or missing your shot appointments reduces the effectiveness of PrEP. If you don’t take the drugs on schedule, your body may not have enough medicine to block HIV. PrEP doesn’t protect against other sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea and chlamydia, meaning you should always use condoms during sexual intercourse.
If you are at risk of HIV, consult your doctor at Matt Pabis, MD, to know how you can benefit from PrEP.
