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Cardiovascular disease risk factors in HIV-infected patients in the HAART era

M Galli1, A L Ridolfo, C Gervasoni

  • 1Institute of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, L. Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, Italy.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|January 5, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Antiretroviral therapy for HIV can alter lipid and glucose metabolism, increasing cardiovascular disease risk. However, absolute risk remains low for most, emphasizing proactive risk factor management in longer-living HIV patients.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cardiology

Background:

  • HIV infection is linked to metabolic disturbances affecting lipid and glucose regulation.
  • Antiretroviral therapy (ART) further complicates metabolic profiles in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
  • Growing concern exists regarding a potential epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among HIV patients due to these metabolic changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the impact of HIV and its treatment on cardiovascular disease risk.
  • To evaluate the interplay between metabolic changes and CVD development in the context of HIV management.
  • To inform clinical decisions regarding ART initiation and risk factor modification.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current data on metabolic disturbances in HIV patients on ART.
  • Analysis of cardiovascular disease prevalence and risk factors in this population.
  • Consideration of patient-specific risk factors (smoking, hypertension, diabetes, age, family history).

Main Results:

  • Metabolic alterations (lipid and glucose) are common in HIV patients, exacerbated by ART.
  • While CVD risk increases, average absolute levels are projected to remain low for the general HIV population.
  • Patients with pre-existing risk factors are significantly more susceptible to developing CVD.

Conclusions:

  • Therapeutic complications of ART must be weighed when determining optimal treatment timing.
  • Integrating risk factor reduction into routine care is crucial for the growing population of long-lived HIV patients.
  • Proactive management of metabolic and cardiovascular risks is essential for improving long-term outcomes in HIV care.

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