Highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART, is a way of treating HIV, according to the "American Family Physician" in an August 2003 article. HAART makes use of different antiretroviral medications in order to effectively lower the levels of HIV in the body, according to FamilyDoctor.org. HAART fulfills this objective by keeping HIV from infecting new cells in the body. Nevertheless HAART can induce various side effects throughout the course of treatment.
Arrhythmia and Breathing Problems
The combination of medications administered during HAART can cause arrhythmia, notes MayoClinic.com. HAART may also cause difficulties breathing. As such, it may be necessary to change the combination of antiretroviral medications used in HAART.
Bone Problems
The use of antiretrovirals such as protease inhibitors in HAART may cause bone problems to develop, notes AIDSinfo.gov, a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Some examples of bone problems include bone death, bone mineral loss, and osteoporosis.
Damage to the Liver
HAART can include the use of protease inhibitors, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors that may cause severe damage to the liver, notes the "American Family Physician" in an August 2003 article.
Diarrhea
HAART may sometimes induce diarrhea, according to MayoClinic.com. Changing the antiretrovirals used in the HAART may be necessary depending on the duration and severity of the diarrhea.
Elevated Blood Sugar Levels
HAART may make use of certain protease inhibitors that may elevate blood sugar levels, notes AIDSinfo.gov. This is also known as hyperglycemia. The probability of developing hyperglycemia increases if the patient also has diabetes or is infected with hepatitis C.
Increased Levels of Fat
HAART can cause fat levels in the body to increase dramatically, notes the "American Family Physician" in an August 2003 article. This fat level increase may be caused by the use of protease inhibitors in the HAART.
Lactic Acidosis
The use of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in HAART can cause a condition known as lactic acidosis, notes AIDSinfo.gov. Lactic acidosis occurs when there is an excessive amount of lactate in the blood. Lactate is a substance derived from lactic acid, a substance that is naturally produced by the body when the body's cells produce energy. Elevated levels of lactate cause the blood to become acidic. Excessive acidity of the blood is detrimental to cells.
Lipodystrophy
HAART may also cause fat deposits throughout the body to become redistributed, according to AIDSinfo.gov. This condition is known as lipodystrophy and can be extremely disfiguring.
Nausea
HAART can also cause nausea and even induce vomiting, explains MayoClinic.com.
Skin Eruption
The non- nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors used in HAART may cause rashes to breakout on the skin, notes the American Family Physician in an August 2003 article.
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