Administration of aerosol pentamidine: a program design.

Aerosol pentamidine (AP) is an FDA-approved prophylaxis against pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in HIV-infected individuals who have a CD4+ lymphocyte count less than 200/mm3, constitutional symptoms, or a previous history of the pneumonia. The University of Washington Medical Center, a 450-bed tertiary care center, established a successful aerosol pentamidine treatment program, providing treatment in its special procedure nit. The authors present an overview of AP and discuss the role of interdisciplinary teamwork, staff training, patient teaching, and the provision of safety measures for patients and healthcare providers.