Drug Treatments for HIV/AIDS
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Drug Treatments for HIV/AIDS
While HIV/AIDS is still currently incurable, the prognosis for patients with this infectious disease has improved due to advancements in drug treatments. Consider the case of Kristy Aney. Kristy was diagnosed with HIV in 1992 and was told she would survive, at most, 10 more years. Despite unfavorable odds, Kristy is still alive 20 years later. Since her diagnosis, she has witnessed tremendous improvements in HIV/AIDS treatments which have helped patients live longer with fewer side effects. While she acknowledges that these drug treatments have kept her alive, she fears that improvements in drug therapy have led to more people becoming complacent about the disease (Idaho Statesmen, 2012). In fact, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States is higher than it has ever been (CDC, 2012). This poses the question: Is there a relationship between drug advancements, societal complacency, and infection?
To prepare:
• Review Chapter 48 of the Arcangelo and Peterson text, as well as the Krummenacher et al. and Scourfield articles in the Learning Resources.
• Reflect on whether or not the prevalence of HIV cases might be attributed to increased complacency due to more advanced drug treatment options for HIV/AIDS.
• Consider how health care professionals can help to change perceptions and make people more aware of the realities of the disease.
• Think about strategies to educate HIV positive patients on medication adherence, as well as safe practices to reduce the risk of infecting others.
ASSIGNMENT PAPER:
WRITE
1) An explanation of whether or not you think the prevalence of HIV cases might be attributed to increased complacency due to more advanced drug treatment options.
2) Explain how health care professionals can help to change perceptions and increase awareness of the realities of the disease.
3) Describe strategies to educate HIV positive patients on medication adherence.
4) What are the safety practices to reduce the risk of infecting others?
Readings/Recommended References (you may choose your own textbook or article for this paper
• Arcangelo, V. P., & Peterson, A. M. (Eds.). (2013). Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice: A practical approach (3rd ed.). Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
o Chapter 8, “Principles of Antimicrobial Therapy” (pp. 96–117)
This chapter covers factors that impact the selection of an antimicrobial treatment regimen. It also examines the clinical uses, adverse events, and drug interactions of various antimicrobial agents such as penicillin.
o Chapter 12, “Fungal Infections of the Skin” (pp. 141–149)
this chapter explores the pathophysiology of several fungal infections of the skin as well as related drug treatments and examines the importance of patient education when managing these infections.
o Chapter 14, “Bacterial Infections of the Skin” (pp. 158–172)
this chapter begins by examining causes of bacterial infections. It then explores the importance of selecting an appropriate agent for treating bacterial infections.
o Chapter 32, “Urinary Tract Infection” (pp. 474–480)
This chapter covers drugs used to treat urinary tract infections and identifies special considerations when treating geriatric patients, pediatric patients, and women.
o Chapter 35, “Sexually Transmitted Infections” (pp. 512–535)
this chapter outlines the causes, pathophysiology, and drug treatment of six sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhea, syphilis, and human papilloma virus infection (HPV). It also examines the importance of selecting the proper agent and monitoring patient response to treatment.
o Chapter 48, “Human Immunodeficiency Virus” (pp. 748–762)
this chapter presents the causes, pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria, and prevention methods for HIV. It also covers various methods of drug treatment and patient factors to consider when selecting, administering, and managing drug treatments.
• Krummenacher, I., Cavassini, M., Bugnon, O., & Schneider, M. (2011). An interdisciplinary HIV-adherence program combining motivational interviewing and electronic antiretroviral drug monitoring. AIDS Care, 23(5), 550–561.
Retrieved from a collage Library databases.
This article analyzes medication adherence in HIV patients and examines factors that increase adherence as well as factors that contribute to termination or discontinuation of treatment.
• Drugs.com. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.drugs.com/
this website presents a comprehensive review of prescription and over-the-counter drugs including information on common uses and potential side effects. It also provides updates relating to new drugs on the market, support from health professionals, and a drug-drug interactions checker.
• Scourfield, A., Waters, L., & Nelson, M. (2011). Drug combinations for HIV: What’s new? Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, 9(11), 1001–1011. Retrieved from a collage Library databases
this article examines current therapies and strategies for treating HIV patients. It also examines factors that impact selection of therapy, including drug interactions, personalization of therapy, costs, management of comorbidities, and patient response.
• Mayer, K. H., & Krakower, D. (2012). Antiretroviral medication and HIV prevention: New steps forward and New Questions. Annals of Internal Medicine, 156(4), 312–314. Retrieved from a collage Library databases.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Drug Treatment for HIV/AIDS
When HIV/AIDS was first discovered, many people in the United States were dying in large numbers. Due to advancements in treatment of the disease in later years, patients infected with HIV/AIDS can now live longer. Proponents to drug treatment to HIV/AIDS have pointed out that the impact from drug advancement is phenomenal, as it gives a vision of having a free HIV/AIDS world. However, some critics point out that these advancements in treatment lead to complacency. Therefore, the paper will engage in discussing critical issues emanating from the overall drug treatment to HIV/AIDS.
The increasing number of cases of HIV/AIDS is attributed to the increased complacency due to more advanced drug treatment options. This is because, health professionals have quit creating awareness of the possible adverse effects of the disease. The people of the United States have the illusion that, due to continuous advancement in drug treatment against HIV/AIDS, they are likely not to contact the disease (Arcangelo & Peterson, 2013). The advertisements that were used to encourage youths to use contraceptives such as condoms to save them from the epidemic are no longer used, or are used in minimal magnitude. Advancement in drug treatment has also led to more emergence of homosexual and heterosexual relationships that have led people to indulge in sexual activities not knowing well that they are actually making themselves susceptible to the epidemic.
Health care professionals can diminish the perception and increase awareness of the realities of the disease by taking a stand in creating awareness on same-sex affairs that greatly spread HIV/AIDS. This is because, same sex relationships increases transmission of the sexual-related disorder such as syphilis and gonorrhea, which gives a means for more transmission of HIV /AIDS. Medical practitioners should increase awareness on drug abuse. Anyone who abuses drugs should be counseled and treated to help them stop using the drugs and preventing HIV/AIDS infections (Arcangelo & Peterson, 2013). This is because contracting the disease is faster in people who abuse drugs. Most preferably, health professionals should formulate programs that give each and every generation of young people with information and intervention that aid them to develop life-long skills for avoiding behaviors that could lead to HIV/AIDS infections (Mayer & Krakower, 2012). Strategies to educate HIV/AIDS patients on medication adherence are crucial as far as drug treatment on HIV/AIDs is concerned. The strategy includes self-assessment tools that include questions about mental health status, substance abuse, environmental factors that may influence a patient’s ability to adhere to ART (Antiretroviral therapy) (Arcangelo & Peterson, 2013). Another strategy that can be used is assessment on cognitive functioning and a patient’s attitude towards taking ART. The final strategy that can be used is assessment of all those areas paints of a patient’s overall readiness to begin and maintain ART.
There are safety practices to reduce the risk of infecting others with HIV/AIDS. One of the safety practices is use of condoms consistently and correctly. The practice extends to choosing less risky sexual behaviors. This is because anal sex is the highest-risk sexual activity more than oral sex. Use of pre-exposure prophylaxis daily can also prevent intensity of spreading the disease to other people (Krummenacher, Cavassini, Bugnon, & Schneider, 2011). If a partner is infected with the disease, he or she should be advised to get and stay on treatment. ART is medically recommended to reduce the amount of HIV virus (viral load) in blood and body fluids, which can greatly reduce chances of transmitting HIV to sex partners if taken consistently and correctly.
In summary, continuous improvement in drug treatment to HIV/AIDS will continue to pose dangers of HIV/AIDS to people as neglect and irresponsibility are brought by the improvements. However, this trend can be reversed if medical practitioners engage in strategies and programs to create awareness of the adverse effects of the disease, and to install and educate on best safety measures to prevent widespread of HIV/AIDS.
References
Arcangelo, V., & Peterson, A. (Eds). (2013). Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice: A practical approach (3rd ed.). Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Krummenacher, I., Cavassini, M., Bugnon, O., & Schneider, M. (2011). An interdisciplinary HIV-adherence program combining motivational interviewing and electronic antiretroviral drug monitoring. AIDS Care, 23(5), 550–561.
Mayer, K. H., & Krakower, D. (2012). Antiretroviral medication and HIV prevention: New steps forward and New Questions. Annals of Internal Medicine. 156(4), 312–314.
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