Update on Department of Health and Human Services guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-infected adults and adolescents.

The Department of Health and Human Services Treatment Guidelines have been revised, and major changes are summarized. Sections of the report deal with adherence issues, tracking viral loads in women, the role of abacavir in initial treatment with AZT and 3TC, and drug interactions. Several tables that are reproduced include HIV-related drugs with overlapping toxicities; recommended antiretroviral agents to treat established HIV infection; drug interactions with antiretrovirals; characteristics of protease inhibitors; and drug interactions between protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.