When it comes to HIV, most people are deeply frightened and uneasy. In addition to posing a significant burden on the body, this disease also brings a heavy impact and severe challenges at the psychological level, which cannot be ignored. Many people wonder how long a person can live if he is unfortunately infected with AIDS but does not take any treatment. This question is often difficult to talk about, but because of this, it has sparked a lot of attention and discussion.
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HIV, commonly known as AIDS, is quietly invaded by the imperceptible HIV, profoundly disintegrating the immune defense line, causing a comprehensive decline in its function, endangering the root of health, and bringing far-reaching and heavy health hazards. Once the virus invades the body, its primary target is the key defenders of the immune system - CD4+ lymphocytes, which act as the "vanguard" of the health defense line and shoulder the important mission of defending against the invasion of foreign pathogens. Over time, the virus will relentlessly and continuously eat away at these cells, causing the immune system to gradually disintegrate, eventually breaking down and entering the severe stage of AIDS.
The consequences of not treating will be a continuous deterioration of the condition, a sharp decline in health status, and a series of complications that may seriously affect the quality of life and even endanger life.
Once infected with HIV and left untreated, the virus will multiply in the body, weakening the immune system and weakening the defenses. In the early stages of infection, individuals may have no significant discomfort or only mild symptoms similar to the common cold, including fever, fatigue, and throat discomfort, which is medically defined as acute. However, over time, the virus enters an incubation period that can last for years, during which the patient may appear to be fine, but in fact the immune system is being quietly but continuously eroded.
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When the number of CD4 cells drops to a dangerous threshold, the patient enters the clinical stage of AIDS, which indicates that the disease has entered a serious situation.
At this time, the patient's body almost loses its ability to defend itself against infection, and various opportunistic infections (such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, oral candidiasis, etc.) and tumors (such as Kaposi's sarcoma, lymphoma, etc.) will follow one after another.
In the absence of effective treatment, these infections and complications can quickly worsen, posing a serious threat to life and ultimately leading to death.
The length of survival is affected by a variety of complex factors, and there is a high degree of individual differences, and a detailed analysis of the specific condition of the patient is required to make a more accurate prediction.
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So, how long do people with AIDS survive without treatment?
According to medical statistics, the average time from infection to AIDS after HIV infection without antiretroviral therapy (ART) is about 8 to 10 years. Of course, this time varies from person to person, some people may develop AIDS within 5 years, while others may be able to persist for more than 10 years.
After entering the AIDS stage, the patient's life expectancy is significantly reduced, and the patient enters the emergency treatment stage. If no treatment is taken at this time, the patient will only survive for another 1-2 years on average.
This means that the overall survival time from HIV infection to death is around 10-12 years. Of course, this is only an average estimate, and the actual survival time is deeply affected by the interweaving of multiple factors, such as the individual health status of the patient, the comorbidity of the disease and other complex factors.
Tiantong Xiaobian has something to say
Of course, in our daily testing and HIV prevention work, we have also encountered some cases where we refuse treatment after being detected and only 1-2 years after death, which may be due to the fact that we do not have the habit of testing, and we are detected late when we are tested. In fact, AIDS is preventable, controllable, and curable, and it is not terrible. Early detection and early detection are the foundation, and early treatment is the key.
Regular testing is the most important part
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The importance of treatment
Although untreated survival after HIV infection is relatively limited, thanks to the remarkable advances in modern medicine, AIDS is no longer an irreversible terminal disease. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) can effectively inhibit viral replication, maintain the number of CD4 cells, and keep the patient's immune system in a relatively healthy state. Patients who receive standardized treatment can not only significantly prolong their lives, but also greatly improve their quality of life, almost the same as ordinary people, and enjoy a more fulfilling and healthy life.
In addition, it is emphasized that early detection and timely treatment are essential to curb the progress of HIV infection. With regular testing and early intervention, many people living with HIV can stay healthy for a long time, and some people do not develop AIDS in their lifetime. Therefore, regular physical examinations and attention to one's own health status, especially high-risk groups, should pay attention to HIV testing, so as to achieve early detection and early treatment.
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To sum up, although AIDS is frightening, through scientific means and active response, its progression is actually preventable and controllable. It is true that the survival of people living with HIV is limited if no treatment is taken, but advances in modern medicine give us hope. HIV infection is not the end of life, the key is to take timely treatment and management measures to effectively control the progression of the disease. I hope this article can help you better understand HIV/AIDS, and make you pay attention to your own health and the health of those around you, take preventive measures, and stay away from risks. As a physician, I strongly recommend keeping in mind that early recognition and prompt treatment are crucial golden rules for prolonging a patient's life and improving their quality of life.
Excerpt from: Dr. Sun's Class