La Revue du praticien
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By the end of 1998, estimates indicate that 33.4 millions people were infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Over two-thirds of these people live in Sub-Saharian Africa, where HIV has mostly spread through sex between men and women. Today, the epidemic is spreading rapidly in the southern countries of Africa. ⋯ Countries of North America and western Europe concentrated 2.7% of infected people. HIV incidence is stable and AIDS cases in many industrialized countries are falling. AIDS is one of the ten first causes of death in the world; early testing and prevention should remain a high priority in all countries over the world.
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Thrombosis is the most frequent cause of venous and arterial vascular events. Anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents are able to prevent both types of thrombotic episodes. However, available agents have limitations which justify the search for new antithrombotic drugs or at least the clinical investigation of combined treatment with already available drugs. ⋯ Among anticoagulant agents a long list of competitors for the replacement of oral anticoagulants and heparins is already available. They target factors Xa, IIa or VIIa. A promising alternative is to increase the thromboresistance of the vascular wall.