title: Symptom management in HIV-infected patients.
abstract: Symptom management has always been a focus of nursing care. Assessing and managing symptoms is an important component of HIV nursing practice. When effective, interventions to relieve symptoms may improve quality of life (QoL), potentially increase adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy, and improve other outcomes such as functional status. Common underrecognized and/or undertreated symptoms that may influence the QoL of persons living with HIV include fatigue, pain, anxiety/depression, and sleep disturbances. These symptoms may also contribute to the difficulty of adhering to HAART When evaluating a patient's symptoms, the nurse attempts to understand the symptom experience from the patient's perspective because symptoms are subjective experiences. Together, the nurse and patient work to determine feasible interventions. Symptom management plans are evaluated frequently. Fundamentally, symptom management aims to decrease the frequency, intensity, and distress of symptoms, with the ultimate goal of improving QoL.
authors.affiliation: Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, San Francisco Department of Public Health, USA.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control; D011788:Quality of Life; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control