Faculty

Chris Longenecker, MD
Adult Cardiologist
Director, HIV Cardiometabolic Risk Clinic
University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute
Associate Professor of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Cleveland, Ohio

Paul E. Sax, MD
Professor of Medicine 
Harvard Medical School 
Clinical Director, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Program 
Brigham and Women’s Hospital 
Boston, Massachusetts

Target Audience

This activity is intended for infectious diseases and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) specialist physicians and other clinicians involved in the care of patients with HIV infection.

Program Overview

People with HIV (PWH) have a life expectancy that is only slightly shorter than that of the general population. In the United States, more than half of the 1.3 million PWH are older than 50 years—and the average age is rising.1 As PWH age, the risk of comorbidities and multimorbidity increases.2 The age-related multimorbidity seen in PWH is believed to be caused by HIV-associated chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, and immune cell senescence.1 Comorbidity burden in aging PWH has a substantial negative effect on quality of life. Comorbidities of particular concern are cardiovascular disease, decreased bone mineral density, cancer, neurocognitive impairment and depression, and renal disease. These comorbidities may be influenced both by antiretroviral therapy (ART) and by HIV itself. There is a need for clinicians to better understand these comorbidities and form multidisciplinary teams to appropriately care for their aging patients with HIV. This HIV eHealth program includes epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management strategies for common comorbidities seen in aging PWH, including effect of ART on comorbidities and how each comorbidity may influence ART selection.

References

  1. Wing EJ. HIV and aging. Int J Infect Dis. 2016;53:61-68.
  2. Kendall CE, Wong J, Taljaard M, et al. A cross-sectional, population-based study measuring comorbidity among people living with HIV in Ontario. BMC Public Health. 2014;14:161.

Educational Objectives

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

  • Review the role of inflammation in the comorbidities commonly associated with HIV in aging patients
  • Tailor screening and treatment for common age-related HIV comorbidities, such as decreased bone mineral density and renal disease
  • Address CV risk in aging patients with HIV through selection of appropriate ART regimens and incorporation of recommended therapies to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD)
  • Utilize knowledge of virus-related cancers to appropriately screen patients with HIV
  • Implement screening and appropriate treatment strategies for depression and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in aging patients with HIV

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Global Education Group (Global) requires instructors, planners, managers, and other individuals and their spouses/life partners who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose any real or apparent conflict of interest they may have as related to the content of this activity. All identified conflicts of interest are thoroughly vetted by Global for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies mentioned in the materials or used as the basis for content, and appropriateness of patient care recommendations.

The faculty reported the following financial relationships or relationships to products or devices they or their spouses/life partners have with commercial interests related to the content of this CME activity:

Chris Longenecker, MD

Grant/Research Support: Gilead Sciences, Inc.

Paul E. Sax, MD

Consultant/Independent Contractor: AbbVie Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline/ViiV Healthcare, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc.; Grant/ Research Support: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline/ViiV Healthcare, Merck & Co., Inc.

The following planners and managers reported no financial relationships or relationships to products or devices they or their spouses/life partners have with commercial interests related to the content of this CME activity:

Lindsay Borvansky, Andrea Funk, Liddy Knight, Ashley Cann, Gena Dolson, MS, Celeste Collazo, MD, Jim Kappler, PhD

Physician Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Global Education Group (Global) and Integritas Communications. Global is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physician Credit Designation

Global Education Group designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Global Education Group (Global) and Integritas Communications do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. 

The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization associated with this activity. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer

Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of patient conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

Instructions to Receive Credit

In order to receive credit for this activity, the participant must complete the posttest and program evaluation. Your posttest will automatically be graded. If you successfully complete the posttest (score of 80% or higher), your statement of participation will be made available immediately. Click on the View Statement of Participation link and print the statement for your records. If you receive a score lower than 80%, you will receive a message notifying you that you did not pass the posttest. You will have 2 opportunities to pass the posttest.

For information about the accreditation of this program, please contact Global at 303-395-1782 or cme@globaleducationgroup.com.

Fee Information & Refund/Cancellation Policy

There is no fee for this educational activity.

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