Question

A patient is in the HIV clinic for a follow-up appointment. He has been on antiretroviral therapy for HIV for more than 3 years. The nurse will assess for which potential adverse effects of long-term antiretroviral therapy?

a. Lipodystrophy
b. Liver damage
c. Kaposi's sarcoma
d. Osteoporosis
e. Type 2 diabetes

Answer 1

Long-term antiretroviral therapy for HIV can cause adverse effects such as lipodystrophy, liver damage, osteoporosis, and Type 2 diabetes. Kaposi's sarcoma is related to HIV but is not a side effect of the therapy itself.

Step-by-step explanation:

Potential Adverse Effects of Long-term Antiretroviral Therapy

Patients on long-term antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection may experience several potential adverse effects. These include lipodystrophy, a condition where fat is redistributed or lost from certain areas of the body; liver damage, which can be caused by the toxicity of the medications; and osteoporosis, a decrease in bone density that can lead to an increased risk of fractures. Moreover, patients may be at higher risk for developing Type 2 diabetes due to changes in body composition and insulin resistance associated with the drugs and lipodystrophy. Kaposi's sarcoma is an HIV-associated cancer, but not a direct side effect of antiretroviral therapy; instead, its incidence is reduced with effective HIV treatment.