title: Palliative care in the management of advanced HIV/AIDS.
abstract: The basic elements of palliative care can be translated into practice for patients with HIV/AIDS. More than half of clinical events and deaths occurring among patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy are classified as non-AIDS illnesses. Thus, end-of-life care for patients with late-stage AIDS needs to include any palliative measures that are used for patients without AIDS. This article reviews the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, prognostic indicators, opportunistic infections, specific AIDS-defining and non-AIDS-defining malignancies, substance abuse/liver disease, and highly active antiretroviral therapy and comfort measures for late-stage AIDS patients.
authors.affiliation: Palliative Care Program, Department of Family and Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 3347 Steuben Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467, USA. JFausto@montefiore.org
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fausto
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Selwyn
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000628:therapy; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D056487:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D019452:Terminally Ill