Palliative Care in the Management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in the Primary Care Setting

• Published in: Primary care Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 433 - 445
• Main Authors: Mitchell, Linda R., MD, Shah, Nidhi, MD, Selwyn, Peter A., MD, MPH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-09-2019
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology; Advance Care Planning; Age Factors; Aging population; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - epidemiology; Family Medicine/General Medicine; Frailty - epidemiology; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV/AIDS; Humans; Malignancies; Medication Adherence; Neoplasms - epidemiology; Pain Management - methods; Palliative care; Palliative Care - organization & administration; Primary Health Care - organization & administration; Prognosis; HIV/AIDS; Palliative care; Aging population; Malignancies
• ISSN: 0095-4543; 1558-299X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pop.2019.05.009

Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has metamorphosed in the past 40 years since the first cases were diagnosed. The advent of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) transformed the disease trajectory for many patients with HIV/AIDS and transitioned the course from a terminal disease to a chronic disease model. This article reviews the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, prognostic indicators, frailty, opportunistic infections, specific AIDS-defining malignancies and non–AIDS-defining malignancies, role of palliative care, advance care planning, and the role of HAART in patients dying of late-stage AIDS.