Maximizing life’s potentials in AIDS: A psychopharmacologic update

Psychiatric factors play a major role in the AIDS pandemic. They have an impact on transmission, morbidity, coping, adherence, and quality of life and of death. Substance-related disorders are associated with HIV transmission through needle sharing, sexual transmission, exchange of sex for drugs, an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:General hospital psychiatry 2000-09, Vol.22 (5), p.375-388
Main Authors: Adler Cohen, Mary Ann, Jacobson, Jeffrey M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - drug therapy
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - psychology
AIDS Dementia Complex - drug therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Comorbidity
Depression - drug therapy
Depression - epidemiology
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
Nausea - drug therapy
Neuropharmacology
Pain - drug therapy
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Psychomotor Agitation - drug therapy
Psychotic Disorders - drug therapy
Psychotic Disorders - epidemiology
Substance-Related Disorders - drug therapy
Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology
Violence
Viral diseases
Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids
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Summary:Psychiatric factors play a major role in the AIDS pandemic. They have an impact on transmission, morbidity, coping, adherence, and quality of life and of death. Substance-related disorders are associated with HIV transmission through needle sharing, sexual transmission, exchange of sex for drugs, and perinatal transmission. Persons with AIDS have a high prevalence of substance-related disorders, mood disorders, dementia, mania, and delirium. Persons with AIDS require complex medications, including combination antiretroviral therapy and prophylaxis and treatment for opportunistic infections and cancers. Recognition and treatment of distressing symptoms can maximize life’s potentials and enhance adherence with risk prevention and with care. We describe an integrated approach to the use of psychotropic medications in the care of persons with AIDS. With the new antiretroviral therapies available, psychotropic medications can be helpful in alleviating distressing symptoms, promoting less risk taking, and adhering to complex medical care. The intricacies and complexities of new medical and psychopharmacological issues are delineated in order to enable caregivers help persons with AIDS to maximize life’s potentials.
ISSN:0163-8343
1873-7714
DOI:10.1016/S0163-8343(00)00095-5