Antiviral drugs

This chapter discusses the adverse effects of antiviral drugs used against cytomegalovirus, herpesviruses, hepatitis viruses, against HIV, and against influenza viruses. The cidofovir, drug active against cytomegalovirus, has been associated with bronchiolitis obliterans. Aciclovir and valaciclovir has been reported with renal insufficiency. Adefovir , a drug active against hepatitis viruses, is associated with the fall in creatinine clearance in patients with lamivudine-resistant HBe antigen (HBeAg)negative disease. Drugs active against HIV are comprehensively reviewed as in combination, nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors, nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors. In a randomized controlled trial of indinavir, saquinavir and lopinavir in combination with low-dose ritonavir in 656 patients, median total cholesterol increased by 0.5 mmol/l in the patients with the highest minimum drug plasma concentrations. In patients with AIDS-associated AIDS dementia complex taking optimal stable background antiretroviral therapy including either abacavir or placebo, there was significantly more nausea in those who took abacavir.