A 48-year-old woman with a complicated medical history visits the clinic because her body habitus has changed. Her legs are "like sticks," she says, and her "belly is getting bigger." The patient is also becoming increasingly tired, but does not experience excessive daytime somnolence. She has been homeless for the majority of the last five years, but has been in a residential care facility for the past year. She is distractible and has an inappropriate affect on physical examination, but she is cooperative. Otherwise, the neurologic and mental status examination is normal. There is adipose tissue loss from the extremities and face, as well as an increase in abdominal girth. Which of the following types of medications is most likely to be responsible for this patient's symptoms?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV is frequently associated with redistribution of body fat. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (particularly stavudine and zidovudine) and protease inhibitors are linked to subcutaneous lipoatrophy of the face and extremities. Any HAART regimen can cause central fat accumulation in the trunk and viscera.

A 48-Year-Old Woman with a Complicated Medical History Visits the Clinic