Azidothymidine in the management of immune deficiency complex
Bálint Gábor, S.
Orvosi Hetilap 134(35): 1921-1925
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0030-6002 PMID: 8361747 Document Number: 415700
The nucleoside-analogue azidothymidine is the first effective drug in the management of HIV-infection although it is not a causal therapy. Azidothymidine increases the life-span of the HIV-positive patients, decreases the incidence of opportunistic infections and enhances the quality of life. The current recommendations is to use the drug at a dose of 500 mg daily in persons with CD4+ counts of less than 500. The (unwanted) side-effects are less prominent at this lower dose. Although there is a very significant research work all over the world for newer drugs for HIV-therapy, it seems that for the foreseeable future azidothymidine will remain the cornerstone of antiretroviral therapy.