Up
to 16% of Aids sufferers develope a form of dementia caused by viral
damage to the white matter of the brain. This usually occurs in
the later stages of the disease
Aids Dementia Complex
(ADC) shows features of clinical depression in the early stages
of development, especially apathy. Later stages of this dementia
are memory loss and mobility problems
Diagnosis relies heavily
on the judgement of medical staff treating the disease. Tests include
neuroimaging, lumbar punctures and Mini-Mental Status Examination
There are two forms
of the disease; fungal infection and viral infection. It is not
our intention to discuss AIDS here, but simply to state that some
current medications include the use of AZT, 3TC+D4T, Efavirenz,
DDI and Nevirapine -- drugs that cross the blood/brain barrier
AZT is used to treat
the condition, also known as zidovudine, brand name Retrovir®.
Drugs are usually combined as a cocktail of 2 or 3 different combinations,
and vary with the sufferers tolerance to side-effects
Efavirenz plus 3TC/D4T or AZT/3TC or DDI/D4T
proves to be an efficient first-line antiretroviral regimen. Treatment
terminations due to polyneuropathy are higher in those using D4T/DDI
Further information
available here:
http://www.aegis.com/pubs/gmhc/1992/gm060202.html
http://www.sfaf.org/treatment/beta/b31/b31adc.html
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