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TreatmentUpdate 176Volume 22 Issue 1 2010 January I ANTI-HIV AGENTS - D. What to use for initial therapyIn previous versions of the guidelines, the panel presented readers with recommendations for the use of individual drugs. Now the panel has taken the bold step of recommending specific regimens for the initial treatment of HIV. The panel asks physicians to consider the following factors so that treatment can be individualized for each patient:
Here are some medicines that are mentioned throughout this issue of TreatmentUpdate: Nukes
Non-nukes
Protease inhibitors
Integrase inhibitors
Preferred regimensThe panel recommends any one of these three specific regimens for the initial treatment of HIV infection:
For pregnant women, the panel recommends this combination:
CautionHere are some concerns noted by the panel:
Alternative regimensThe panel defines alternative regimens as ones that are tolerable and effective but have potential disadvantages compared to preferred regimens. Here are the alternative regimens proposed by the panel:
CautionThe panel warns that nevirapine should not be used in people with moderate or severe liver damage. It should not be used in women who have more than 250 CD4+ cells or in men who have more than 400 CD4+ cells because of the risk for severe or life-threatening side effects. Abacavir should not be used in people who test positive for abacavir hypersensitivity. The panel also warns that it should be used cautiously in patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease or in those who have high pre-therapy viral loads (more than 100,000 copies. Issues to consider—protease inhibitorsA large European database called DAD has found that the use of lopinavir-ritonavir (Kaletra) or indinavir (Crixivan) was associated with an increased risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke. Another large database, the French Hospital Database (FHDB), has found that the use of fosamprenavir (Telzir) or Kaletra was linked to an increased risk of heart attack. Issues to consider—abacavirThe DAD study has found an association between the recent use (within the first six months) of abacavir and an increased risk of heart attack, particularly among people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Some clinical trials have also found this association, while others have not. The FHDB’s most recent analysis linked heart attacks in people taking abacavir to the use of cocaine and other illicit substances. Because of these different findings in different databases and studies, the panel notes that “no consensus has been reached yet on the association or possible mechanism to explain why abacavir might be associated with a heart attack.” What’s more, the panel also underscored the issue of confounding or “channeling bias”—a problem with observational studies that makes drawing firm and accurate conclusions when interpreting the data difficult. Such confounding may explain why different research teams have reached different conclusions about abacavir and its possible relation to cardiovascular disease. Created on: 2010 January 25 Author: Hosein SR |
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Decisions about particular medical treatments should always be made in consultation with a qualified medical practitioner who is knowledgeable about HIV-related illness and the treatments in question. MORE | |