How it works and the effectiveness of post exposure prophylaxis (pep)

If you are accidentally exposed to HIV, for example when having sex without using a condom with someone you suspect is HIV positive or having a needle used by someone who is HIV positive, you should immediately get post exposure prophylaxis (PEP). What is PEP and how effective is it at preventing HIV? Check out the reviews in this article.

What is Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)?

Post Exposure Prophylaxis or commonly abbreviated as PEP is a form of emergency care to prevent HIV.

This treatment is usually done after actions that risk causing HIV have occurred. For example, someone who works in a health service who is accidentally impaled by a needle from a former HIV patient, a victim of rape, and unprotected sex with someone who may be HIV positive or when you are unsure of your partner's HIV status.

The way this treatment works is by giving antiretroviral drugs (ARV) within a period of approximately 28 days to prevent or stop exposure to the HIV virus so that it does not become a lifelong infection.

It should be understood, PEP is a form of care that can only be done during a medical emergency in people who are HIV negative. So, if you are HIV positive, you cannot do this treatment.

How effective is PEP at preventing HIV?

PEP should be used as soon as possible after a person is accidentally exposed to HIV. To be effective, this remedy should be consumed within 72 hours (3 days) of last exposure.

However, the sooner you start taking PEP the better because it can significantly reduce your risk of getting HIV. Even so, this drug does not 100 percent guarantee that you are free from HIV infection even though you have taken it properly and disciplined. The reason is, there are various things that might make you more susceptible to HIV infection.

You must first consult a doctor who is trained and understands about PEP. Usually before starting this treatment the doctor will perform a HIV status test. As explained above, PEP can only be applied to those who are HIV negative, not those who are HIV positive.

If you have been prescribed PEP by your doctor, you will need to take the medicine regularly once or twice a day for 28 days. You should re-check your HIV status about 4 to 12 weeks after exposure.

Is PEP safe?

PEP is a relatively safe medical emergency treatment. However, this treatment may have side effects for some people. The most common side effects when someone takes this treatment are nausea, dizziness, and fatigue.

Even so, these side effects are relatively mild and tend to be easy to treat so they are not life-threatening. Most importantly, don't stop doing this treatment if your doctor doesn't recommend you stop. Your discipline in carrying out this treatment has a big influence on preventing HIV infection.

Not all hospitals provide PEP

PEP is an important treatment. Unfortunately, not all hospitals in Indonesia provide PEP. This is because PEP has not been included in the government's HIV prevention program.

In some cases, ARV (antiretroviral) drugs are only available to those who are HIV positive. This means that if those who are HIV negative want to get PEP drugs domestically, the process is certainly not easy. The reason is, this is related to the preparation of health facilities such as logistics and the availability of ARV drugs itself.

Even so, immediately consult your doctor to get appropriate treatment if you are accidentally exposed to HIV. This is done in order to prevent HIV from attacking your immune system too far.