Aging with HIV: Maintaining Quality of Life and Monitoring Drug Interactions

People living with HIV are aging more and more these days — thanks largely to advances in HIV therapy. Modern treatments enable a long life with a high quality of life. Studies show that people with HIV can generally reach a life expectancy similar to those without HIV.¹
Especially as years pass and additional illnesses and medications come into play, it is important to coordinate them well to avoid interactions. Therefore, it’s worthwhile to actively consider your own HIV therapy. However, a recent European survey shows that discussions about potentially optimizing HIV therapy do not happen regularly for everyone — and some respondents even report never having such conversations.²
When multiple medications are involved: pay attention to interactions
Different substances can influence each other — they can enhance, diminish, or in some cases cancel each other out. A simple routine in conversations with your primary clinician can help:
● Say everything you’re taking (including over-the-counter medicines, herbal products, dietary supplements).
● Ask questions if something changes for you (e.g., new concomitant medications, new symptoms, new daily routines).

Modern HIV therapies: highly effective and continually evolving

Because modern therapies are highly effective, in recent years there has also been work on reducing the number of active ingredients in HIV medications. Fewer active ingredients can lower the potential for interactions with other substances — especially as more medications may be added over the years for other health conditions.
If your HIV treatment has combined three or four active ingredients since the mid-1990s, today’s guidelines used by clinicians — which guide the selection of medications — also support modern two-drug combinations.³
With aging in mind, it’s helpful to understand your own therapy: How many active ingredients does it include, and what does that mean for interactions with other medications?

Improving your quality of life: actively discuss therapy options
If routines change or more medications are added, it can be useful during your appointment to talk about different therapy options and delivery methods. While some people manage well with a daily pill, for others a long-acting injectable therapy may be the better solution.

Your next step: 3 questions for your next doctor visit

● How many active drugs are included in my current therapy?
● What does that mean in the long run as I age in terms of potential interactions if I need to take more medications?
● Which therapy options could work for me if I want to integrate HIV treatment more smoothly into my daily life?
At your next appointment, set aside time for these questions and work with your clinician to find the therapy option that best fits your daily life.
For more information on living with HIV as well as personal stories from people living with HIV, visit www.livlife.de
Supported by ViiV Healthcare
NP-DE-HVU-ADVR-260006 – Feb 26