HIV …chronic disease management

Justin Denholm discusses the current issues in long term management of patients living with HIV. Patients with HIV treated with combination antiviral therapy (cART) now often have rapid and sustained control of HIV viraemia (often to undetectable levels) and a sustained increase in CD4+ T-cell counts. This has resulted in decreased opportunistic infections and increased longevity. Management has therefore shifted more to a chronic disease management model, in which GPs are able to provide an important role. Management focuses on the effects of HIV and its treatment on long term health, the psychosocial impact of living with a chronic disease and the specific issues related to a sexually transmissible infection. Specific issues include psychosocial support, mental health, risk behaviour, assessing and managing increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, increased risk of malignancy and vaccination against preventable diseases. < div class="feedflare" > < a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/AustralianFamilyPhysicianAudio?a=qjjwK9g3yUo:PZsWY3RdD3U:yIl2AUoC8zA" > < img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/AustralianFamilyPhysicianAudio?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" > < /img > < /a > < /div > < img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AustralianFamilyPhysicianAudio/~4/qjjwK9g3yUo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/ >

Source: Australian Family Physician audio - July 31, 2009 Category: Primary Care Authors: The Royal Australian College Of General Practitioners Tags: Podcasts Source Type: podcasts