Lactic Acidosis

Certain HIV drugs in the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) class sometimes have negative side effects [2] that may lead to liver and other problems. One such side effect is damage to the mitochondria inside your cells, or mitochondrial toxicity. When mitochondria are damaged, lactic acid production is increased. This can cause levels of lactic acid in your blood to rise. If the levels of lactic acid become too high, a rare, but serious condition called lactic acidosis can occur.


What Causes Lactic Acidosis?
Lactic acidosis can develop when your cells make too much lactic acid or when your liver is not working properly to get rid of it. Certain HIV drugs in the NRTI class can sometimes cause these problems: Cells make too much lactic acid: NRTIs can damage the mitochondria, which makes them produce excess lactic acid. This is also known as mitochondrial toxicity. The liver is not working properly: NRTIs can cause the liver to become fatty. A fatty liver does not work well and cannot break down lactic acid efficiently.

Symptoms of Lactic Acidosis
The symptoms of lactic acidosis include: Persistent nausea, vomiting, and abdominal (belly) pain Unexplained tiredness Shortness of breath Rapid breathing Enlarged or tender liver (area just under the right ribcage) Cold or blue hands and feet Abnormal heart beat Weight loss It is important to get in touch with your health care provider right away if you experience these symptoms. Because lactic acidosis can be fatal, it is best to identify and treat it early.

Treatment
If your health care provider suspects that you have lactic acidosis, she or he will perform a physical exam to check for an enlarged liver and may order a CT scan or ultrasound of your liver. You will probably also have some blood tests done to measure your: There is no proven treatment for lactic acidosis other than stopping the NRTIs that are causing it. In serious cases, hospitalization and supportive care, such as intravenous (IV) fluids and a machine to help you breathe, may also be needed.
Some health care providers recommend giving thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), Lcarnitine, coenzyme Q, or vitamins C, E, and K to people with lactic acidosis. While some of these vitamins and supplements [4] have shown encouraging results in small studies, they have not yet been proven to be effective.
It is important that you not stop taking any HIV drugs without talking with your health care provider. If you are diagnosed with lactic acidosis, your health care provider can help you decide how to stop your HIV drugs, when to restart, and which ones to take when you go back on treatment. If you have only slightly elevated lactic acid levels and no symptoms, you may not need to change your HIV treatment regimen.

Risk Factors
Certain factors put people at higher risk for lactic acidosis. These include: Taking Videx and/or Zerit (when used together, the risk is even higher) Being coinfected with hepatitis B [5]

Taking Care of Yourself
Because there is a connection between liver problems and lactic acidosis, it is important that your health care provider check your liver function while you are taking NRTIs, especially if you have a history of heavy alcohol use [8] or a liver problem [9].
Many people on HIV drugs have elevated lactate levels. These usually do not cause any problems. For that reason, regular lactate tests are not recommended. However, if you experience any of the symptoms of lactic acidosis described above, tell your health care provider immediately.
Although lactic acidosis can be life-threatening, it is also very rare. The point of learning about lactic acidosis is not to scare you. Rather, it is to help you be aware of important signs in your body that may indicate a serious problem. In this way, you will be better able to recognize symptoms of lactic acidosis, tell your health care provider right away, and get treatment if necessary.