Aids drugs side effects probed

An Australian research team may have found the answer to why people taking Aids medication are more at risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Garvan Institute of Medical Research's Associate Professor Katherine Samaras said inflammation played a greater role than suspected.

A study group was scanned for fat, muscle and bone mass with blood tests measuring cholesterol, glucose and other molecules involved in heart disease and diabetes.

The research team found fat was redistributed around the body among people taking Aids medication - being lost from the arms, legs, face and buttocks and moving to the abdomen.

Patients storing fat in this area generally had a cardiac and metabolic risk profile worse than that of an obese person, the researchers said.

The authors said: "We are fortunate to have a number of drugs that effectively suppress the HIV virus, even though they also have some side effects."

Results from the studies could be used to improve HIV/Aids treatment.

People who carry more weight around their middle are at risk of health problems, even if they are not obese and record a healthy weight.

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