HIV Flashcards
Clinical manifestations
Vague, non specific flu-like symptoms (fever, headache, malaise, fatigue, N/V, abdominal cramping
Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy-enlargement of 2 or more extrainguinal sites for more than 3 months
Risk factors for HIV
Behavior Blood transfusions Health care worker Poverty Older age
Clinical manifestations of AIDS Dementia Complex
Fluctuating memory loss Confusion Difficulty concentrating Lethargy Diminished motor speed
PCP manifestations
Fluctuating fever Chills Cough Chest pain Dyspnea on exertion Anorexia, weight loss
Treatment for PCP
Sulfa drugs
Symptoms of sulfa drug allergic reactions
Rashes on the trunk
Really high fever (serum sickness)
Candidiasis manifestations
White, friable plaques on the tongue or. Uncalled mucosa
Difficulty swallowing
Mycobacterium Avium Complex manifestations
Chills Fever Weakness Night sweats Abdominal pain Weight loss
When is an HIV pt susceptible for getting MAC
When CD4 falls below 50
Kaposi’s sarcoma manifestations
Vascular macules, papules, or violet lesions
Affects skin & viscera
Commonly affects face, especially tip of nose and pinnae of ears
Commonly affects GI tract, lungs, and lymphatic system
Treatment of Kaposi’s Sarcoma
Interferon alpha & Zidovudine AZT (NRTI) used in combination
Rapid diagnostic
Further testing always required
Nurse’s must prepare for immediate teaching following results
ELISA
99.5% sensitive
Detects HIV antibodies, not the virus itself
Western blot antibody testing
99.9% sensitive
More reliable, but is time consuming & expensive
HIV Viral load
Levels greater than 5,000-10,000 indicate need for treatment
Correlates disease progression and response to treatment
