Researchers presented several studies at the International AIDS Conference that examined the role of antiretroviral drugs in the development of heart problems in people with HIV. Results from two large studies indicated that other factors play a larger role in determining heart attack risk than taking antiretroviral medications.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Some studies have estimated that heart disease causes as many as a fifth of all deaths in people with HIV.

Some previous studies have…

Several studies presented at the 2010 International AIDS Conference examined lipodystrophy and the effects of antiretroviral medications on cholesterol levels.

Lipodystrophy is a common side effect associated with HIV treatments. It causes changes in fat distribution that can lead to changes in body shape, increased levels of lipids (cholesterol and fatty acids) in the blood, and greater risk of heart problems.

Symptoms of lipodystrophy include loss of fat in the legs, face, arms, and buttocks; and an increase of fat in the stomach, upper back or neck, and breasts.

One…

A recent study compared the efficacy and safety of two combination therapies used to treat HIV: Truvada (emitricitabine/tenofovir) and Epzicom (abacavir/lamivudine).

The results suggest that though the two therapies are comparable in efficacy, Epzicom is more likely to cause serious side effects than Truvada.

Compared to therapy with an individual drug, combination therapies can result in lower rates of treatment failure and patient fatality. There is also a smaller chance of developing antibiotic-resistant infectious bacteria.

Truvada is a combination therapy that includes the drugs Emtriva (emtricitabine) and Viread (tenofovir). Alternatively,…