Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: hiv + diarrhea + 0.26  Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/7/2008)

Pooled-Analysis of 54 Clinical Studies Shows No Increased Risk of ... MarketWatch - The most common side effects of ZIAGEN include nausea, vomiting, tiredness, headache, diarrhea, trouble sleeping, fever and chills, and loss of appetite. ... Going-Concern Statement FOXBusiness - Other side effects of REYATAZ taken with other anti-HIV medicines include: nausea, headache, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, fever, dizziness, ...BMY Abbott's Kaletra(R) Tablet Dosed Once-Daily or Twice-Daily ... SunHerald.com, MS - Aug 5, 2008 At 48 weeks, the overall rate of moderate to severe and related adverse events of diarrhea was 15.8 percent. A similar rate of diarrhea was observed in ... COMUNICADO: Abbott's Kaletra(R) Tablet Dosed Once-Daily or Twice ... Europa Press (Comunicados de prensa) all 23 news articles »  ABT - S Miami Herald Examines Research on Crack Users and HIV Kaiser network.org, DC - ... admitted to Grady Hospital and Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami for HIV-related medical problems, such as infections, diarrhea, pneumonia and cancer. ... FDA Safety Changes: Depakote, Depakote ER, Antibiotics Medscape (subscription) - Identify the risk for Clostridium difficile?associated diarrhea in patients receiving antimicrobial therapy with erythromycin or aztreonam. ... New York Times Researchers Look to Daily Pill to Avert HIV New York Times, United States - Aug 4, 2008 Infected people taking these licensed drugs have shown limited side effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and intestinal gas. But the safety of the drugs ... MedPage Today Investigational Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor Raises ... MedPage Today, NJ - "We demonstrated that apricitabine showed promising activity and safety in both treatment-na?ve and treatment-experienced HIV infected patients," said Susan ... HIV/AIDS Campaign Gets Royal Endorsement This Day, Nigeria - Aug 4, 2008 ... particularly diarrhea and respiratory infections. ?This situation poses difficulties since mothers of newborn babies who know they have HIV face ... Atazanavir/Ritonavir Once Daily Effective in Treatment-Naive HIV ... Medscape (subscription) - Aug 5, 2008 Compared with patients in the lopinavir/ritonavir group, fewer patients in the atazanavir/ritonavir group had grade 2 to 4 treatment-related diarrhea (10 ... Haiti's Compounding Food and Health Crises IRC's Americas Program, NM - The main causes of death are pneumonia and diarrhea. "In the regional context, it is a very bad situation," says a UNICEF spokesperson in Haiti, ...

Complementary Approaches to Breast Cancer Treatment

HIV- or medication-related diarrhea
The advent of protease inhibitors (PIs), the most potent class of anti-HIV medication to be developed to date, revolutionized the medical treatment of HIV. However, many patients, particularly those on Viracept (one of the most popular PIs), deal with an intermittent but chronic diarrhea as a side effect of their treatment. The amino acid glutamine, although it will not stop the diarrhea in the way Imodium or other medications might, is excellent for promoting bowel health, improving nutrient absorption, and generally minimizing diarrhea symptoms. The dose is flexible—most people take a total of two grams or so per day, usually with meals—and there are no side effects or medication interactions to be concerned about. Probiotics—the class of "friendly" bacteria that includes Acidophilus, lactobacillus, and many other species that normally inhabit the intestinal tract and help maintain smooth bowel function—can also be taken in supplement form and can be very helpful.

Peripheral neuropathy
Both the virus and a number of the antiviral medications can cause a painful nerve syndrome called peripheral neuropathy. Acupuncture can be very useful in treating this condition. Studies of this have been somewhat equivocal, but in my practice, a number of patients have had wonderful results with acupuncture. Generally, you will need at least four to six sessions with the acupuncturist to determine if it is going to be helpful for you, and you may then need a one- to two-times-per-month maintenance schedule to keep the condition under control for the long term.

Liver function abnormalities
Almost all of the medications taken to fight HIV have the potential to cause some elevation in the liver function tests, which even if there are no physical symptoms, can be a cause for concern. This is especially true in people who have co-infection with hepatitis C in addition to HIV. Milk thistle is a wonderful herbal medicine I use in almost all of my HIV-positive patients. It has been shown in a number of studies to help with the regeneration of liver cells damaged by exposure to a chemical agent. Although it has not been studied specifically in HIV disease, I have seen a number of my patients’ elevated liver function tests return to normal once they started on milk thistle. This herb should be taken in a standardized extract form, containing between 400 to 500 milligrams of the active constituent silymarin in the daily dose. There are no adverse effects and no known drug interactions with this herbal treatment.

Depression
Living with a chronic illness can be difficult. Many patients are not willing to take on an additional medication for treatment of depression and are looking for a "natural" alternative. Unfortunately, St. John’s wort, an herb that can be quite helpful for some cases of depression, should not be used in people on protease inhibitors, as it can lower the serum levels of these medications quite significantly. One other option to consider is the nutritional supplement called s-adenosyl methionine, or SAM-e, which in a dose of 400 to 800 milligrams twice daily, can be very helpful in treating a mild depression. To date, there is no known interaction between SAM-e and antiretroviral medications.

Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol)
The protease inhibitors have a tendency to substantially raise cholesterol in some people. There are two herbal remedies that have proven benefit in treating high cholesterol and can be used safely with antiretroviral medications. The first is garlic, which if taken in a dose of one clove daily, can lower cholesterol up to ten percent with virtually no side effects (except a bit of odor!). If you prefer tablets, garlic in this form will work just as well. The second is red rice yeast, which is marketed under the name Cholestin. Although not effective for everyone, this product can produce a dramatic drop in cholesterol in some people and is perfectly safe.

Conclusion

Everyone who is on antiretroviral medications and also using herbs and supplements must be sure to keep their healthcare provider informed about their regimen. As more research is done, we may learn more about interactions between herbal medicines and HIV medications that will have a potentially significant impact on treatment. If your provider is not aware of your use of herbs and supplements, he or she cannot help you stay up to date with the emerging information on interactions, both beneficial and otherwise.