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Cardiovascular involvement in HIV/AIDS: report of 3 cases
1Department of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Insights
Dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart condition, affects young, heterosexual adults with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This cardiac complication can be severe, leading to rapid deterioration and death in affected individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Cardiovascular complications are increasingly recognized in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.
- Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a serious cardiac condition characterized by enlargement and weakening of the left ventricle.
- Early diagnosis and management are crucial for improving outcomes in HIV-associated cardiac dysfunction.
Observation:
- Three young, heterosexual patients without traditional cardiac risk factors presented with new-onset cardiac failure.
- Investigations, including echocardiography and electrocardiography, confirmed dilated cardiomyopathy in all patients.
- All patients tested positive for HIV-1 antibodies, indicating a strong association between HIV infection and DCM.
Findings:
- The observed cases highlight a potential link between HIV-1 infection and the development of dilated cardiomyopathy in young adults.
- Despite standard cardiac failure management, two patients experienced fatal outcomes, with one developing multi-organ failure and the other experiencing seizures.
- These findings underscore the aggressive nature of cardiac involvement in some HIV-positive individuals.
Implications:
- This report suggests that HIV/AIDS may be an independent risk factor for dilated cardiomyopathy, particularly in younger populations.
- Increased awareness and screening for cardiac abnormalities in HIV-positive patients are warranted.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the pathogenesis of HIV-associated cardiomyopathy and to develop targeted therapeutic strategies.
Abstract:
Three cases of dilated cardiomyopathy in patients with IIIV/AIDS are being reported. The three patients are of young age group and they presented with cardiac symptoms for the first time. They were all heterosexuals and not known was as intravenous drug abuser. There was no history of rheumatic fever or hypertension or diabetes mellitus and ischaemic heart disease. Examination confirmed cardiac failure and investigations including chest x-ray, echocardiograph and electrocardiograph confirmed dilated heart. All the patients tested positive to HIV-1 antibodies. They were managed with the usual anticardiac failure regimen. Two of the patients died on admission, one developed multi organ failure and the other had tonic-clonic seizure. In other parts of Africa reports have also emerged describing the cardiovascular involvement in HIV/AIDS.