10 Ways to Control Complications and Age Gracefully with HIV

HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, attacks your immune system, making you susceptible to many infections. Without treatment, HIV infection progresses to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and is fatal in about three years.

With proper treatment, people living with HIV can have long and productive lives. Avoiding HIV complications is key to aging gracefully.

The combination of HIV infection and aging increases the risk for:

• Heart disease
• Lung disease (mainly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD)
• Cancers
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease
• Bone loss 

These age-related disorders appear earlier in people living with HIV. Here are 10 measures to control HIV complications.

If you're over the age of 50, you shouldn't assume you're safe because of your lifestyle choices and sexual orientation. 

One in six new HIV diagnoses is in people over 50. More than a fifth of such infections are caused by heterosexual contact. The only way to know you're infected is by testing.

Many older people ignore symptoms like fever, tiredness, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, and frequent infections. They may believe them to be signs of aging.

Ignoring these symptoms can be harmful. Older people are often in late-stage HIV infection when diagnosed. Talk to your physician, and let them take a call on testing. 

Early ART (anti-retroviral therapy) is crucial to controlling HIV complications. HIV infection is associated with the early appearance of several age-related disorders, including diabetes, cancer, and diseases of the liver, kidneys, heart, and lungs.

People without HIV infection are likely to develop one or more of these at an average age of 47 years. In contrast, people living with HIV are likely to have one of these disorders as early as 32 years. Early ART changes this to 40 years.

ART reduces the viral load in your bloodstream, sometimes to undetectable levels.

Effective ART reverses the damage to your immune system, helping you control HIV complications. ART is not curative, so you must take it lifelong.

ART also reduces your risk of transmitting the infection to HIV-negative sex partners. Treating HIV infection appropriately is the most effective way to control the complications.

Opportunistic infections take advantage of your lowered immunity. They are more frequent and severe if your immune system is impaired by HIV infection. To avoid these infections: 

• Avoid undercooked and raw food
• Avoid unsafe water (lakes and rivers when trekking or camping)
• Don't share needles, syringes, and cookers
• Be careful about avoiding sexually transmitted diseases
• Follow any specific advice from your physician

Exercise helps you in many ways: 

• Improves strength and overall fitness
• Enhances heart and bone health
• Aids your immune system fight infections
• Prevents depression

Smoking and HIV are a terrible combination. People with HIV who smoke are at higher risk of: 

• Lung and other cancers
• Pneumonia
• Heart disease
• Fungal infections
• Poor response to ART

HIV infection accelerates aging and frailty. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help in aging gracefully. 

• Eat a balanced diet
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Ensure enough and restful sleep
• Limit alcohol use
• Have a social support system

People living with HIV often have depression. HIV and some opportunistic infections may affect your nervous system, too. 

Seek professional help for your mental health when needed. Your primary care physician may refer you to a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist. Good mental health helps you to age gracefully with HIV.

As you grow older, you may be taking drugs for chronic diseases. Frequently used medicines are those for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), and elevated cholesterol. These drugs could interact with the drugs you are taking for HIV infection, causing unpleasant effects. 

Drug interactions are more likely when you have separate healthcare providers for HIV and primary care. It's up to you to let each of them know about the treatment you are getting from the other. Try to ensure that they share any laboratory reports and other investigations with each other.