With current treatments, the life expectancy of people living with HIV is no different from that of the general population. As a result, the proportion of older patients with the disease is growing. In 2016, 5.7 million of all people living with HIV globally were older than 50 years, representing 16% of the overall population of people living with HIV. That percentage was expected to rise to 21% by 2020. The percentage is much higher in the United States.
Couple these values with the annual worldwide estimate of > 100,000 new diagnoses among this age group, and it is clear that providers need to understand the unique clinical considerations for people older than 50 years who are living with HIV. Some of these challenges include management of patients with comorbidities and tracking potential drug interactions between antiretrovirals and other pharmacotherapies, complications related to HIV, cognitive impairments, and the potential need for geriatric care and psychosocial interventions.
How much do you know about caring for older adults with HIV? Test yourself with this quick quiz.
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Cite this: Michael Stuart Bronze. Fast Five Quiz: HIV in Older Adults - Medscape - Apr 27, 2021.
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