Who is PrEP prevention for?

In order for a patient to receive HIV prophylaxis, there must be a clear indication to start treatment. This decision is always preceded by a detailed medical consultation. The doctor conducts an interview to gather information about both the patient’s health and lifestyle. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis is recommended as an additional form of protection for people who are at real risk of HIV infection. These include couples who are planning to become pregnant and one of the persons is HIV-positive. PrEP is also for people who are at risk of infection – who have an active sex life and come into contact with HIV-positive people or who take drugs. For patients whose partners cohabitate with multiple people and are at risk of HIV infection or rotate in drug-using environments, PrEP may also be indicated. PrEP prophylaxis can be used by both men and women. It can be used by people who engage in heterosexual and homosexual relations.

Why is PrEP qualification performed?

The decision to qualify a patient for HIV prophylaxis should be well thought out. Treatment involves strict adherence to the doctor’s recommendations and once taken should be used regularly. We invite you to make an appointment for a consultation at our clinic in Warsaw, during which a specialist will perform a qualifying examination for PrEP. The price of such a visit is PLN 300. What should be done before starting PrEP? Rule out recent HIV infection. Complete HBV and HAV hepatitis vaccinations. Check creatinine levels. Do a blood count. Do a general urinalysis.

What does PrEP look like?

PrEP involves regularly taking medication that blocks the copying and spread of the HIV virus in the human body. The active substances combined into one pill are tenofovir and emtricitabine. For prophylactic treatment to work and protect against infection, the patient should take the drug every day at a consistent time. Otherwise, the concentration of active substances may be too low to effectively prevent the replication and spread of the virus. Then the protection will be inadequate, and the infection and development of the disease may follow. Typically, HIV prevention also involves sex education about safe intercourse, sexually transmitted diseases and the role of the basic STD protection, the condom. After taking preventive treatment, the patient remains under the care of a specialist, who recommends the necessary tests. They should be performed regularly for HIV infection and monitored for possible side effects. Sometimes it happens that the patient has a problem with adhering to the restrictions on the time of daily intake of the drug. In such a case, the doctor tries to find the reason for this situation and together with the patient seeks a solution that will help him effectively carry out the process of prophylactic protection against HIV infection. Some patients using PrEP experienced side effects such as nausea or loss of appetite, which resolved after a few weeks. Some cases also developed mild headaches. No serious side effects were reported.

HIV prevention – Warsaw

Where can you go if you need HIV prevention in Warsaw? At Kierach Medical Clinic, we provide you with a friendly atmosphere and full discretion. We are a modern clinic that focuses on innovative methods to improve patients’ quality of life. We surround them with comprehensive care and offer professional medical advice and treatments in the field of aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery, based on the many years of experience of our outstanding specialists. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!