A study assessing the side effects of anti-retroviral drugs showed that two widely used HIV drugs are associated with an increased risk of heart attack and the formation of blood clots in the heart. Didanosine increases the risk by 49 percent, and Abacavir increases the risk by 90 percent.
The effect is most pronounced in patients with a high underlying cardiovascular risk. The risk of heart attack is removed once patients stop taking the drugs, regardless of how long these drugs have been used by patients.
The study involved over 33,000 patients from Europe, Australia and Asia.
Sources:
* Science Daily February 11, 2008
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