[Human immunodeficiency virus infection in the elderly]

Due to the excellent efficacy of antiretroviral treatment increasingly more people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections survive to old age. The national and international definition of older people with HIV infections comprises those aged 50 years and older. Practitioners caring for these patients have to take age-related comorbidities and polypharmacy into account. Cooperation between HIV caregivers and general practitioners as well as geriatric specialists should provide a network that covers topics such as vaccinations, early detection of malignancies and psychosocial aspects, such as loneliness and organization of nursing care. A schedule for preventive measures is presented in this article as well as practical approaches including access to drug interaction databases and HIV treatment guidelines.