HIV specialists who reviewed contraceptive options available for HIV-positive women recommend a combination of condoms and intrauterine devices as the most effective method for preventing both pregnancy and HIV transmission.

The authors of the review also found that hormonal contraceptives remain a popular choice for women with HIV and are also a good option, if used with condoms and if adjusted for potential interactions with antiretroviral therapy.

They added that hormonal contraceptives and intrauterine devices should always be combined with…

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has released an updated version of its “Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1 Infected Adults and Adolescents.”

The new guidelines revise a previous version released in December 2009 and contain updated recommendations on several topics, including changes in CD4 (white blood) cell count monitoring, definitions related to viral load (amount of virus in the blood), new drug resistance testing, and recommendations on initial antiretroviral combination regimens. New…

A recent small Spanish study assessing body fat distribution in HIV-infected patients who switched from Kaletra to Reyataz boosted with Norvir found that switching to Reyataz is associated with increased abdominal and total body fat.

However, the study authors noted that their study was small and that participants were allowed to choose whether to switch treatment or not, so the study was not randomized. Nevertheless, they concluded that switching to Reyataz (atazanavir) may have harmful effects on patients’ body fat…

Results of a small study indicate that vitamin D deficiencies in people with HIV who take Viread or Truvada may exacerbate problems with high parathyroid hormone levels, a side effect of the drugs that can lead to bone loss.

The researchers suggested that future studies evaluate whether taking vitamin D and calcium supplements can help alleviate high parathyroid hormone levels in people who take these antiretrovirals.

Parathyroid hormone is released by the parathyroid gland and is involved in regulating calcium…

Results of a new study indicate that metabolic abnormalities, such as high cholesterol and pre-diabetes, are common in HIV-positive teens and young adults and may be related to long-term use of certain antiretroviral drugs.

The authors suggested that doctors carefully consider long-term side effects when deciding on antiretroviral therapy regimens for HIV-positive children.

Previous studies have shown that antiretroviral therapy in adults is associated with long-term side effects, such as insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, abnormal distribution of body fat,…