Person-Centred
Resource Hub:
Long-Term Conditions
Support for managing additional long-term conditions
UK Key Facts and Figures1
66.8% of people with HIV report having one or more additional long-term health conditions. By the age of 65, most people (88.7%) have an additional long-term condition.
Nearly half of all people with HIV (46.7%) are diagnosed with a cardiovascular condition or diabetes.
80% of individuals aged 65 years and over have been diagnosed with a cardiovascular condition or diabetes.
Managing multiple conditions as you grow older2
- Be screened for age-related conditions such as heart, liver, and kidney disease, and certain cancers—usually through your HIV clinic or GP
- Receive coordinated care from a multidisciplinary team, including an HIV specialist, if you’re treated for other conditions
- Have all medications checked for potential drug interactions by every healthcare provider involved
- Get support from your care team to manage multiple conditions, including access to relevant specialists, services and advice
What can I ask?
A selection of questions you can ask during your consultations:
Am I eligible for screening or health checks for long-term conditions?
Where can I get more information about my condition?
How do other healthcare professionals stay informed about my health needs?
Can the clinic connect me to a peer support service?
Is there a risk of a drug interaction between my non-HIV treatment and my antiretroviral therapy?
What to expect from your health and care team…
BEING
offered screening and tests for conditions more common with age.
HAVING
support to manage additional conditions alongside HIV.
KNOWING
your treatments are reviewed for interactions with HIV medication.
How are long-term conditions being prioritised?
The Towards Zero HIV action plan recognises that more people with HIV are over 50 and living with complex health needs. It calls for better care coordination and understanding of co-morbidities.3
The UK government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England aims to improve outcomes in areas like cancer, heart disease, mental health, and dementia. While not HIV-specific, it includes people living with HIV and long-term conditions.4
Supporting the management of additional long-term conditions for people growing older with HIV
BHIVA Quality Standards on Managing Additional Long-Term Conditions5:
- People attending HIV outpatient clinics should undergo regular screening, as set out in the BHIVA guidelines in order to detect cardiovascular, renal, liver, bone and other comorbidities.
- People with HIV should have timely access to diagnostic tests required for the detection and investigation of comorbidities.
- People with HIV should have access to services to manage comorbidities safely and effectively either within the HIV service or in primary care and/or non-HIV specialist teams where appropriate – including checking for drug interactions.
- Clear, agreed pathways should be developed to facilitate referral to local or regional services for those with complex and/or less common comorbidities.
Treatment for additional long-term conditions should be done by a team of specialists using a joined-up care plan.
The team should involve HIV specialists, together with consultants from other relevant specialist areas, and may also include pharmacists and GPs.
All other treatments prescribed should be checked to make sure that they don’t interact with the HIV treatment.
Lead health care professional delivering care for the relevant additional long-term conditions. These services should be linked with the HIV service to ensure that the additional treatments do not interact with someone living with HIV’s HIV treatment.
A GP may screen or test someone living with HIV according to the national standards for diseases associated with ageing, such as heart disease, liver or kidney disease, or some cancers. If prescribing, a GP must ensure there is no drug interaction with HIV treatment.
When providing over the counter services, a pharmacist should provide advice on drug interactions and ask about someone’s current medication plans to provide tailored medicines which will not negatively affect their HIV treatment.
An HIV Consultant will lead on screening someone living with HIV according to national standards for diseases associated with ageing, such as heart disease, liver or kidney disease, or some cancers. The consultant must tailor a someone’s antiretroviral therapy to their personal healthcare needs and situation.
A specialist nurse will have an active role in monitoring someone living with HIV’s conditions. Nurses will often signpost to other services and may support the co-ordination of care – liaising with other services and working closely with someone living with HIV to understand changing needs.
Community organisations can provide people with HIV with important support and advice around the management of long-term conditions and provide peer-to-peer support to help with associated needs, such as the mental health impact of navigating the impact of multiple health conditions.
- British HIV Association (BHIVA) Standards of Care for People Living with HIV aims to tell you about what you should expect when getting your HIV care: https://www.standards.bhiva.org
- The Terrence Higgins Trust provides resources on how HIV and HIV treatment might affect your long-term health and what to look out for: https://www.tht.org.uk/hiv-and-sexual-health/living-hiv-long-term
- The Terrence Higgins Trust guide to HIV and Heart problems: https://www.tht.org.uk/hiv-and-sexual-health/living-hiv-long-term/heart-problems
- The Terrence Higgins Trust guide to HIV and Kidney problems: https://www.tht.org.uk/hiv-and-sexual-health/living-hiv-long-term/kidney-problems
- The Terrence Higgins Trust guide to HIV and Diabetes: https://www.tht.org.uk/hiv-and-sexual-health/living-hiv-long-term/diabetes
- National AIDS Trust guide to providing coordinated care for people living with HIV: https://nat.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Providing-coordinated-care-for-people-living-with-HIV.pdf
- British HIV Association (BHIVA) rapid guidance on the use of statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in people living with HIV: https://bhiva.org/rapid-guidance/bhiva-rapid-guidance-on-the-use-of-statins-for-primary-prevention-of-cardiovascular-disease/
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References
- UK Health Security Agency. Positive Voices 2022: Survey report. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hiv-positive-voices-survey/positive-voices-2022-survey-report. Accessed May 2024.
- British HIV Association. Your Guide to Standards of care for people living with HIV 2018. Available at: https://standards.bhiva.org/file/5ee25266705ef/Your-Guide-To-BHIVA-Standards-of-Care.pdf. Accessed May 2024.
- Department of Health and Social Care. Towards Zero – An action plan towards ending HIV transmission, AIDS and HIV-related deaths in England – 2022 to 2025. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towards-zero-the-hiv-action-plan-for-england-2022-to-2025/towards-zero-an-action-plan-towards-ending-hiv-transmission-aids-and-hiv-related-deaths-in-england-2022-to-2025. Accessed May 2024.
- Department of Health and Social Care. Fit for the future: 10 year health plan for England: Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6888a0b1a11f859994409147/fit-for-the-future-10-year-health-plan-for-england.pdf. Accessed September 2025.
- British HIV Association. Standards of care for people living with HIV 2018. Available at: https://www.bhiva.org/file/KrfaFqLZRlBhg/BHIVA-Standards-of-Care-2018.pdf. Accessed May 2024.
The contents of the U=U series of videos and The Fifty Over 50 project are the result of collaboration and discussion between MSD and the Whole Person Care Partnership, a collaboration between MSD and several HIV, advocacy, education and scientific organisations, with content agreed on an equal basis between all those involved. MSD are the originators and funders of the initiatives.
Please note not all the images on this website are people living with HIV and may be actors representing the community.
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GB-NON-10235 | Date of preparation: October 2025
