Description

Polypharmacy and other factors may contribute to drug (medication) burden in an HIV-positive adult.


Patient selection: HIV-positive adult

 

Criteria for polypharmacy (Calcagno et al): >= 5 non-antiretroviral non-antitubercular drugs

Criteria for severe polypharmacy: >= 10 non-antiretroviral non-antitubercular drugs

 

Risk factors for polypharmacy:

(1) older age (> 65 years)

(2) female sex

(3) drugs for metabolic syndrome, including type 2 diabetes

(4) other comorbidities (diuretics, depression, hypertension, CKD, etc)

(5) chronic pain

(6) receiving anti-retroviral therapy

(7) receiving antituberculous medications

(8) opportunistic infection prophylaxis

 

Risk factors for drug burden:

(1) frailty

(2) adverse drug effects including drug-drug interactions

(3) complexity of drug regimens

 


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