US treatment guidelines updated

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The US Department of Health and Human Services has updated its adult antiretroviral treatment guidelines. The following changes have been made to antiretroviral regimens recommended for treatment of HIV-1 infection in antiretroviral naïve patients:

  • Fosamprenavir and ritonavir-boosted fosamprenavir are added as part of alternative PI-based regimens for initiation of therapy in treatment-naïve patients.
  • Abacavir plus lamivudine has been added as an alternative 2-NRTI backbone.

    Ritonavir-boosted amprenavir has been removed as an alternative PI-based regimen for initiation of therapy in treatment-naïve patients.

  • Indinavir (unboosted) has been removed as an alternative PI-based regimen for initiation of therapy in treatment-naïve patients.
  • A new table of Antiretroviral dosing recommendations for patients with renal or hepatic dysfunction has been created.

New safety information regarding the risks of nevirapine-associated symptomatic hepatic events has been added to the text of the guidelines and drug interaction information for fosamprenavir has also been added.

Glossary

naive

In HIV, an individual who is ‘treatment naive’ has never taken anti-HIV treatment before.

protease inhibitor (PI)

Family of antiretrovirals which target the protease enzyme. Includes amprenavir, indinavir, lopinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, nelfinavir, and atazanavir.

treatment-naive

A person who has never taken treatment for a condition.

drug interaction

A risky combination of drugs, when drug A interferes with the functioning of drug B. Blood levels of the drug may be lowered or raised, potentially interfering with effectiveness or making side-effects worse. Also known as a drug-drug interaction.

hepatic

To do with the liver.

Click here to view the updated guidelines.

Further information on this website

US treatment guidelines updated - November 2003 news story

US HIV guidelines: choose either lopinavir or efavirenz in first-line treatment - July 2003 new story