Life-threatening complications of HIV infection.

Few modern diseases have experienced as rapid and dramatic change in prognosis and treatment as HIV infection. The introduction of active antiretroviral therapy (ART) and effective prophylaxis of opportunistic infections ushered in a new era in the treatment of HIV infection and changed dramatically the natural history of this disease. The rates of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and intensive care mortality in patients with HIV infection have shifted repeatedly during the AIDS epidemic, influenced by attitudes of patients and providers toward utility of care.