AAHIVM, AGS, and ACRIA Release Updated Recommendations for Older Patients with HIV

The American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM), ACRIA, and the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) this week announced a major update to its 2011 report,  Recommended Treatment Strategies for Clinicians Managing Older Patients with HIV, available online at www.HIV-Age.org. Revised topics include assessing functional capacity, smoking cessation, and management of diabetes, COPD, osteoporosis, and hypertension.

Below is an edited excerpt from the recent announcement of the revision.

Treatment Strategies for Older HIV Patients Recently Updated on HIV-Age.org

Washington, DC -- May 28, 2014 -- The American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM), ACRIA, and the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) today announced that nearly half of the chapters within the report Recommended Treatment Strategies for Clinicians Managing Older Patients with HIV, the first clinical treatment strategies for managing older HIV patients, have now been updated. Originally released in 2011, the report has emerged as the premier resource for managing HIV in older patients. The report resides on www.HIV-Age.org, the go-to online site for clinicians seeking best practices for managing the care of older HIV patients.

"We are learning more and more everyday about how to best treat HIV in aging patients," said Jonathan Appelbaum, MD, FACP, AAHIVS, Medical Director of the HIV and Aging Consensus Project. "As new research and clinical studies emerge, we are committed to reflecting those learnings in our treatment strategies to ensure best practices among all HIV care providers." 

The following chapters have now been updated and are currently posted:

• Assessing Frailty and Functional Capacity
• Multi-Morbidity
• When to Initiate Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV and Aging
• Smoking Cessation in HIV and Aging
• Diabetes Mellitus in HIV and Aging
• Drug-drug Interactions and Polypharmacy in HIV and Aging
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in HIV and Aging
• Osteoporosis in HIV and Aging
• The Kidney in HIV and Aging
• Hypertension in HIV and Aging
• Advance Care Planning in HIV and Aging

The report and the website have been created as part of the HIV and Aging Consensus Project, developed to assess how the presence of both HIV and common age-associated diseases alter the optimal treatment of HIV, as well as other co-existing medical conditions.

As part of this project, in 2011, AAHIVM, AGS and ACRIA released Recommended Treatment Strategies for Clinicians Managing Older Patients with HIV. The report, developed by a panel of experts with experience in the fields of HIV and Geriatrics, continues to provide guidance for HIV clinicians and other health care providers who treat, diagnose and refer older patients with HIV disease.

The development of the treatment strategies, as well as HIV-Age.org, was made possible through generous support from the Archstone Foundation. The grant was awarded to the American Academy of HIV Medicine to administer this program.

By 2015, half of the U.S. HIV population will be age 50 and older. Other individuals, such as patients, researchers, media, and HIV advocates, will also find the content and resources useful in understanding the latest in managing the care older Americans with HIV. 

ACRIA for more than 20 years has transformed lives and strengthened communities affected by HIV in the U.S. and around the world through research, education and advocacy.  Through its ACRIA Center on HIV & Aging, the organization is recognized as an international leader on the emerging issue of HIV and older adults. 

The American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM)is a professional organization that supports the HIV practitioner and promotes accessible, quality care for all Americans living with HIV disease. Our membership of HIV practitioners and credentialed providers give direct care to more than three-fourths of HIV patients in the US.

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a not-for-profit organization of close to 6,000 health professionals devoted to improving the health, independence and quality of life of all older people. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policy makers and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy.

6/4/14

Source

AAHIVM, ACRIA, and AGS. Treatment Strategies for Older HIV Patients Recently Updated on HIV-Age.org. Press release. May 28, 2014.