Researchers Show AIDS Patients Treated With Ziagen Are At Higher Risk Of Heart Problems
In a recently published study, scientists have found an association between Ziagen (abacavir) usage and impaired endothelial function. The study, which was published in AIDS, the official journal of the International AIDS Society, showed that patients who used Ziagen had lower flow-mediated dilation (FMD) than those who did not.
The endothelium is the lining found inside blood vessels. This lining controls expansion and contraction (vasodilation and vasoconstriction) of blood vessels by interacting with the smooth muscle that surrounds them.
Problems with endothelial function, such as the inability of an artery to sustain adequate blood flow, are indicators of atherosclerosis (the buildup of plaque inside arteries). Since heart attacks occur when blood flow to a certain part of the heart is blocked, impaired endothelial function can serve as an indicator of heart attack risk.
Generally, HIV patients tend to have an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis. Specifically, patients treated with Ziagen have increased risk of developing heart problems, including heart attacks. The reason for this is currently unknown.
The researchers evaluated 61 HIV-positive patients who had been treated with antiretroviral therapy. Patients were split into two groups, one that received Ziagen and one that did not. In order to assess endothelial function, the researchers measured the flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery, which is in the arm, in each patient. Flow mediated dilation is defined as the measure of how much a vessel dilates, or expands, as blood passes through it. Patients who have decreased measures of FMD may have impaired endothelial function.
The results of the study showed that FMD measurements were lower in Ziagen-treated patients than in patients who were not treated with Ziagen. Such findings may explain why patients taking Ziagen are at increased risk for myocardial infarction.
For more information, please see the original study in AIDS (abstract).
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