A class of anti-retroviral drugs commonly used to treat HIV, particularly in Africa and low income countries, can cause premature aging

The findings may explain why HIV-infected people treated with antiretroviral drugs sometimes show advanced signs of frailty and age-associated diseases such as cardiovascular disease and dementia at an early age. Nucleoside analogue reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) – of which the most well known is Zidovudine, also known as AZT – were the first class of drug developed to treat HIV. They were a major breakthrough in the treatment of the disease, greatly extending lifespan and leading the condition to be seen as a chronic, rather than terminal, condition. In high income countries, such as Europe and North America, the older NRTIs are used less commonly now due to concerns over toxicity and side-effects when taken over a long period of time. However, as they are now off-license and hence relatively cheap, the drugs have proved to be an important lifeline for people infected with HIV in Africa and low income countries.