Is anti-retroviral medication often discontinued in elderly dementia patients? if so does disease progress fast or will they die of something else 1st

Antiretroviral tx: Most antivirals have side effects and they are expensive and pts need to take too many pills. They may interact with other medications. If the pt with dementia enters into a hospice program they may question the issue to continue or not with the retrovirals anti HIV meds. Discontinuation of anti HIV meds will provoke multiplication of the virus and advancement towards aids.

No: Experienced infectious disease physicians dealing with HIV can construct a cocktail with very few side effects now a days. I almost never discontinue the treatment. Id discontinued, the HIV dementia may worsen and the immune system will deteriorate. No one actually dies of aids..Its opportunistic infections or cancers that arise that cause increased morbidity and mortality.