The first treatment for HIV, Azidothymidine (AZT) or the generic name zidovudine was introduced in 1987. Though initially developed as a potential cancer therapy, it was included in a screening program to identify drugs that could treat HIV. Though AZT was an exciting medical development, there were serious side effects, so further testing and trials…
“I’m a homeless, transgender Army veteran beating HIV. It’s easier for me to be myself instead of worrying about what society is thinking.”
“I decided that having HIV was never going to be the end of the world for me. Today I feel more empowered, secure, and blessed.”
“What’s happening in my life now would not be possible without Philadelphia FIGHT. The help I get here has been life-changing.”
“What I love about FIGHT is that I’m treated like a person and not a homeless person. I don’t think I’ll find anything better than FIGHT.”
HAART Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy became the standard of HIV care in 1997 because it is a customized cocktail of medications that controls viral load and delays or prevents progression to AIDS.
The struggle around HIV/AIDS in the United States is an important part of our history. Reflecting on our past helps to show how far we have come and how far we still have to go. Life expectancy before HIV treatment was incredibly low, just 10-12 years of life after diagnosis. Now, people are living longer…
Generic Drug: A drug that uses the same active ingredient as a brand-name drug once the brand patent has expired; often costs less.
It’s the first day of National Diabetes Month! If you’re living with diabetes, knowledge and management are key to preventing further problems and living a full life. Eating healthily, staying active, and monitoring your blood sugar and general health are the basics of managing diabetes. Having a team of people, including friends, family, and doctors…
A drug sold by a drug company under a specific brand name with an exclusive formula patent for a period of time,
1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime, is the 2nd leading cause of death for Native American women, and in some states is the leading cause of cancer-related death. General factors that increase risk are genetics, family history, breast density, and age. When the tumor is small and most treatable is…
Also called Stage IV Breast Cancer, it is when the cancer has spread from the breast to other areas of the body, like bones, brain, lungs, or liver.
We’re heading into flu season, and October is a great time to get that vaccination. Though the flu is a relatively normal part of human life, it is important to remember that many people are hospitalized and die every year due to the influenza virus. The flu vaccine helps not only to reduce your chance…
A weakened immune system, making it more difficult to fight off infections and other diseases. May be caused by diseases or conditions, genetic disorders, or specific medical treatments.
IPV, or Intimate Partner Violence affects 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men. Even higher rates of IPV are true for certain populations of people. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the National Organization for Women report that LGBT people and women of color experience higher rates of intimate partner violence, yet…
Sometimes called domestic violence, IPV includes physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, as well as sexual coercion and stalking by a current or former intimate partner.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness celebrates the first week of October as Mental Illness Awareness Month. About 1 in 4 adults experience mental illness in a year, and 1 in 17 adults lives with a serious mental illness. Some common symptoms to pay attention to for yourself or people you care about are: Excessive…
Stands for Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitor: this is a category of common antidepressant medication that increases the amount of time serotonin is active in your brain.
The Center for Disease Control cites heart disease as the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Men have a greater risk of heart attack, and tend to experience one at an earlier age. Regardless of gender, prevention through primary care, testing, and heart-healthy activities and diets are important. Knowing…
Noun: chest pain that occurs when blood vessels restrict blood flow to the heart.
The CDC puts the prevalence of hypertension, or high blood pressure, at 1 in 3 adults worldwide. That figure is true in the United States as well, according to the American Heart Association. Hypertension increases risk of strokes and heart attacks. The CDC warns that hypertension does not always have warning signs, so it is…
September is National Recovery Month and we want to recognize the work people have done and continue to do to recover from substance use disorders. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 19.7 million adults struggled with a substance use disorder in 2017. Substance use, treatment, and recovery are impacted by many…
Noun: the top number of a blood pressure reading.
