Question:

What is the acronym HAART?

I am presently on Norvir/Reyataz/Truvada with great results and few side effects, but, I can't seem to lose my "gut". Could this added fat be attributed to the meds I am taking?

What meds cause the dreaded "humpback"?

What meds are associated with Lipodistrophy??

Thank You!

Answer provided by:

Octavio Vallejo, M.D., MPH
Faculty, UCLA Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center

HAART stands for Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.

In regards to your questions about body shape changes (fat and loss of body fat), the origin of these changes are multifactorial and not only related to anti-HIV medications. Also, these body shape changes are part of the metabolic complications related to HIV disease, that along with changes in the blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and glucose metabolism (insulin resistance or diabetes mellitus), were known at the beginning of their identification as lipodystrophy.

So far, we know the risk factors related to the fat accumulation: Length of time taking antiretroviral therapy, disease severity before starting anti-HIV medications, Age (being older than 40 years-old) and the use of some of the protease inhibitors (extensive literature about Indinavir and fat accumulation).

It is important to know that one study following individuals HIV+ and HIV- identified that fat accumulation appeared in both groups and that fat accumulation is related to the aging process.

Nowadays, doctors in the field of HIV weigh the benefits and the risks of the anti-HIV medications. With more options in terms of the medications available and more knowledge about how to use these medications, most of the doctors follow the current federal guidelines of treatment that identified as preferred regimens those with have less toxicities, more tolerability,potency and durabilty in their effects.

Finally, I'd recommend to somehow help you to control fat accumulation: exercise (aerobic and resistance exercise at least 30 minutes everyday), diminish sugar intake in the diet (avoiding regular soda pop) and decrease in the intake of satured fat (avoiding animal fat). And to follow the "mediterranean diet" (green leaves, grains, olive oil).

I hope this helps.

071022
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