Most people who are taking anti-HIV drugs will take a combination, or ‘regimen’, of three drugs. There are exceptions to this, for example pregnant women (see the chapter Symptoms and illnesses), or those who have a very high viral load and need to take more than three drugs to obtain a powerful anti-HIV effect.

Before you start HIV treatment for the first time you should have a test to see if you were infected with a strain of HIV with resistance to anti-HIV drugs.