HIV Update: An Epidemic Transformed

Abstract

The field of HIV treatment and prevention has evolved rapidly over the past four decades. New therapies that are more potent and streamlined have transformed HIV into a chronic disease, while the use of such preventive strategies as preexposure prophylaxis and postexposure prophylaxis provide effective options for reducing the risk of HIV infection. These medical breakthroughs have enabled more people living with HIV (PLWH) to reach older adulthood. But they also mean that nurses are seeing more PLWH who have developed long-term complications of living with HIV or of exposure to antiretroviral therapy, as well as concurrent chronic conditions associated with advanced age. Nurses play a critical role in caring for PLWH and those at risk for HIV infection. This article discusses HIV epidemiology, describes the current state of HIV treatment and prevention, and highlights common comorbidities often seen in PLWH who are over age 50.