Primary Care of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Patient.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a disease that affects 1 million patients in the United States. Many excellent drug regimens exist that effectively suppress the viral load and improve immune function, but there are consequences of long-term antiviral therapy. In addition, patients with HIV tend to have much higher rates of chronic disease, substance abuse, and cancer. Thus, while expert care in the treatment of HIV remains critical, the skill set of a primary care provider in the prevention, detection, and management of acute and chronic illness is vital to the care of the HIV patient.