Subject(s)
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/drug therapy , Community Health Nursing/methods , Cytomegalovirus Infections/drug therapy , Foscarnet/therapeutic use , Retinitis/drug therapy , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/nursing , Cytomegalovirus Infections/nursing , Humans , Retinitis/nursingABSTRACT
With the rising incidence of AIDS in the United States, a larger number of patients with HIV-related infectious and noninfectious ocular conditions will inevitably occur. This necessitates that ophthalmic nurses have knowledge of HIV disease; resultant ophthalmic manifestations; treatment protocols, including unapproved therapies; community resources for persons with vision loss; social issues related to HIV; psychologic responses to the disease; and associated losses for patients and their families. This knowledge base will enable the nurse to recognize disease earlier, to educate patients and their families, to administer treatment, and to provide support to a population in critical need of nursing interventions.
Subject(s)
Eye Diseases/nursing , HIV Infections/nursing , HIV-1 , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/complications , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/diagnosis , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/drug therapy , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/nursing , Adult , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Cytomegalovirus Infections/complications , Cytomegalovirus Infections/diagnosis , Cytomegalovirus Infections/drug therapy , Cytomegalovirus Infections/nursing , Drug Therapy, Combination , Eye Diseases/complications , Eye Diseases/diagnosis , Eye Diseases/drug therapy , HIV Infections/complications , HIV Infections/diagnosis , HIV Infections/drug therapy , Humans , Male , Nursing Diagnosis , Opportunistic Infections/complications , Opportunistic Infections/diagnosis , Opportunistic Infections/drug therapy , Opportunistic Infections/nursing , Retinitis/complications , Retinitis/diagnosis , Retinitis/drug therapy , Retinitis/nursingABSTRACT
Recently the Food and Drug Administration approved the drug foscarnet for treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis. As with many other medications, foscarnet has some serious side effects and needs to be administered according to a standardized protocol. This article presents a protocol that was developed for the safe and appropriate delivery of foscarnet.
Subject(s)
Cytomegalovirus Infections/drug therapy , Foscarnet/administration & dosage , Patient Care Planning , Retinitis/drug therapy , Clinical Protocols/standards , Cytomegalovirus Infections/nursing , Foscarnet/adverse effects , Humans , Retinitis/nursingABSTRACT
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a particular threat to the patient with AIDS. Retinitis that may progress to blindness is one of the most distressing manifestations of CMV. DHPG (Ganciclovir) has been used with some success in the treatment of CMV retinitis. This article discusses the pathophysiology of CMV in patients with AIDS, current protocols for DHPG therapy, problems experienced by the patient with CMV retinitis, and nursing actions in response to these problems.
