HIV in Aging Patients eHealth Source‪™‬

People with HIV (PWH) have a life expectancy that is only slightly shorter than that of the general population. In the United States, more than half of the 1.3 million PWH are older than 50 years—and the average age is rising. As PWH age, the risk of comorbidities and multimorbidity increases. The age-related multimorbidity seen in PWH is believed to be caused by HIV-associated chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, and immune cell senescence.1 Comorbidity burden in aging PWH has a substantial negative effect on quality of life. Comorbidities of particular concern are cardiovascular disease, decreased bone mineral density, cancer, neurocognitive impairment and depression, and renal disease. These comorbidities may be influenced both by antiretroviral therapy (ART) and by HIV itself. There is a need for clinicians to better understand these comorbidities and form multidisciplinary teams to appropriately care for their aging patients with HIV. This HIV eHealth program includes epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management strategies for common comorbidities seen in aging PWH, including effect of ART on comorbidities and how each comorbidity may influence ART selection.