A commonly used AIDS drug may double the risk of heart attack

In a study published online by the medical journal Lancet (April 2, 2008), Ziagen, appears to double the chances of a heart attack compared to patients on other AIDS drugs, the researchers reported. Those on Videx had a 50 percent higher chance. But the risk disappeared six months after patients stopped taking the drugs.


No increased heart attack risk was found for patients on the other drugs in the study, zidovudine (AZT), stavudine (Zerit) or lamivudine (Epivir).

House Approves Global AIDS Program

By JIM ABRAMS
The Associated Press
Wednesday, April 2, 2008; 4:22 PM
Wednesday, April 2, 2008; 4:22 PM

WASHINGTON -- The House voted Wednesday to triple to more than $10 billion a year U.S. humanitarian spending on fighting AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in Africa and other stricken areas of the world.

About $41 billion of the $50 billion over five years would be devoted to AIDS, significantly expanding a program credited with saving more than 1 million lives in Africa alone in the largest U.S. investment ever against a single disease.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/02/AR2008040202497.html