       Document 0638
 DOCN  M9440638
 TI    Current perspectives on antiretroviral therapy.
 DT    9404
 AU    Fletcher CV; Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy,
       University; of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
 SO    Pharmacotherapy. 1993 Nov-Dec;13(6):627-33. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94134526
 AB    Current estimates suggest that at least 1 million persons in the United
       States are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the
       cause of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Knowledge of the life
       cycle of HIV has provided the fundamental information necessary to
       initiate programs that will identify drugs to treat the infection.
       Inhibition of reverse transcriptase represents the only strategy of
       proved clinical value. Three such drugs are available: zidovudine,
       didanosine, and zalcitabine. Zidovudine is the only proved agent for
       therapy of asymptomatic HIV infection; and for symptomatic disease,
       monotherapy with zidovudine must also be regarded as the first-line
       approach. For patients who are intolerant, are failing clinically, or
       have received prior long-term treatment with zidovudine, monotherapy
       with didanosine or zalcitabine, or a combination of zidovudine and
       zalcitabine are alternatives. Progress is being made in the treatment of
       HIV infection, but the considerable challenge to affect the inexorable
       progressive nature of HIV disease remains daunting.
 DE    Didanosine/*THERAPEUTIC USE  Drug Therapy, Combination  Human  HIV/DRUG
       EFFECTS/*GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT  HIV Infections/*DRUG THERAPY  Reverse
       Transcriptase/ANTAGONISTS & INHIB  Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
       Zalcitabine/*THERAPEUTIC USE  Zidovudine/*THERAPEUTIC USE  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE  REVIEW  REVIEW, TUTORIAL

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

