The most important elements in an effective care plan for those with HIV/AIDs is viral suppression, medication adherence, observation for drug adverse effects and nutrition. Viral suppression can be defined as having undetectable viral copies or less than 200 copies/ml. Besides, suppressing the virus means that the body’s CD4 cell count can go up and be able to fight off opportunistic infections. Medication adherence is also important as it helps the body control the infection thus preventing its progression. It is therefore crucial that HIV patients adhere to their follow-up clinics in order to promote patient outcomes. Most of the drugs used in HIV/AIDs management have serious adverse effects and it is important that these patients be monitored through laboratory investigations. For instance, tenofovir is known to cause renal dysfunction and serial renal function tests such as urea electrolyte creatinine levels is important. Additionally, good nutrition is crucial in the management of this disease as it improves one’s quality of life as well as strengthen the immune system (PrayGod, Friis & Filteau, 2018).
It is important to balance the benefits and risks of treatment options because these drugs have serious adverse effects. In such an event, drug substitution should be considered in order to continue managing the disease and at the same time ensuring the patient is comfortable and not deteriorating.
The clinician has a role in making sure that the family supports their patients and encourage them that the disease can be managed. Besides, the clinician also has a role in explaining the disease to the patient and help him or her make informed decisions regarding the treatment options. Other issues that are to be considered include: medication costs, patient’s values and beliefs and patient’s psychological status. Psychological support is important in making sure the patient doesn’t get depressed.
One new thing I learnt is that having low or undetectable viral load reduces your risk of transmission.
Reference
PrayGod, G., Friis, H., & Filteau, S. (2018). Nutritional support to reduce mortality in patients with HIV?. The Lancet HIV, 5(5), e202-e204.