HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care : Clinical protocols for the European ...

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HIV/AIDS TREATMENT AND CARE CLINICAL PROTOCOLS FOR THE WHO EUROPEAN REGION
3. Management of weight loss
Table 7. Management of weight loss
Condition Treatment and dosages (for adults) Suggestions for home care
General weight loss Encourage the patient to eat, but do not
force as vomiting may result.
Anorexia and severe
fatigue
Offer more frequent smaller meals of the
patient’s preferred foods.
Prednisolone 5–15 mg daily for up to 6
weeks
Consider possible reasons for weight
loss (tumours, Candida oesophagitis,
TB, atypical mycobacteria, CMV colitis,
cryptosporidiosis).
Avoid cooking close to the patient.
Let the patient choose the foods he/she
wants to eat from what is available.
Accept that intake will decrease as the
patient becomes more ill.
Seek help from trained health worker
in case of rapid weight loss, consistent
refusal to eat or inability to swallow.
Try to stimulate appetite.
Nausea and vomiting Provide antiemetics (see Table 9). Offer more frequent smaller meals of the
patient’s preferred foods; do not force the
person to eat.
Thrush or mouth ulcer See Table 10. —
Diarrhoea See Table 13. —
4. Management of fever
Fever may be a side-effect of antiretroviral (ARV) regimens; if suspected, see Protocol 1, Patient
evaluation and antiretroviral treatment for adults and adolescents, Table 11.
Table 8. Management of fever
Condition Treatment and dosages (for adults) Suggestions for home care
General fever Assess and treat cause.
Give paracetamol or acetylsalicylic
acid every 4 hrs (no more than 8 tablets
paracetamol in 24 hours).
Make sure the patient remains hydrated.
Encourage the patient to drink water,
diluted tea or fruit juice frequently.
Use physical methods like wet compresses
or ice packs.