Can an HIV patient interrupt taking ARVs for any reason?
No, an HIV patient should never interrupt taking ARVs for any reasons expect when recommended by the physician. Interruption will cause viral drug resistance resulting in treatment failure. The consequence of non-adherence is the emergence of viral drug resistance. As resistant strains replicate within a patient, ARVs will fail to suppress the virus. There is then the potential of this strain being transmitted within the community and nation, starting an additional epidemic of resistant HIV with very little or no options for treatment. Lack of adherence is the major contributing factor to drug resistance and must be not only the patients, but also the nations concern.
