Newswise — Cardiovascular disease has become the leading cause of death for those living with HIV, as the infection has moved from a terminal disease to a chronic illness.
As survival has improved, the focus of care has shifted to managing chronic illness in which cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease are common comorbid conditions requiring care and treatment.
The combination of conditions often requires balancing medications, procedures and other interventions while considering competing priorities of care.
An article in Critical Care Nurse (CCN) provides an overview of risk factors, pathophysiology and unique treatment options related to cardiovascular disease in persons living with HIV.
In the article, two case studies of hypothetical patients living with HIV highlight the treatment options and nursing considerations associated with receiving care for cardiovascular disease.
Co-author Michael V. Relf, PhD, RN, AACRN, ACNS-BC, CNE, FAAN is an associate professor and associate dean for global and community affairs, Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina.
“Because persons living with HIV are living longer, they are increasingly affected by health conditions associated with aging, such as cardiovascular disease,” he said. “With more than 1 million people living with HIV in the United States, critical care nurses must understand the complexity of cardiovascular disease among persons living with HIV.”
The article emphasizes that clinicians should take special care to prevent interactions between antiretroviral agents and other medications, optimizing the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy and preventing avoidable toxic effects.
Because high-level adherence with medications is essential in HIV treatment, unnecessary changes in an antiretroviral therapy regimen should be avoided.
As the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ bimonthly clinical practice journal for high acuity, progressive and critical care nurses, CCN is a trusted source for information related to the bedside care of critically and acutely ill patients.
Access the article abstract and full-text PDF by visiting the CCN website at http://ccn.aacnjournals.org.
About Critical Care Nurse: Critical Care Nurse (CCN), a bimonthly clinical practice journal published by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, provides current, relevant and useful information about the bedside care of critically and acutely ill patients. The award-winning journal also offers columns on traditional and emerging issues across the spectrum of critical care, keeping critical care nurses informed on topics that affect their practice in high acuity, progressive and critical care settings. CCN enjoys a circulation of more than 107,000 and can be accessed at http://www.ccn.aacnjournals.org/.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: Founded in 1969 and based in Aliso Viejo, California, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN represents the interests of more than half a million acute and critical care nurses and includes more than 225 chapters worldwide. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. http://www.aacn.org; http://www.facebook.com/aacnface; http://www.twitter.com/aacnme
RSS