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Abacavir and cardiovascular risk

Georg M N Behrens1, Peter Reiss

  • 1Clinic for Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Street 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. behrens.georg@mh-hannover.de

Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases
|December 10, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Abacavir (ABC) therapy may increase myocardial infarction risk in HIV patients. Further research is needed, and high-risk individuals may consider alternative treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Abacavir (ABC) is an antiretroviral medication used in HIV treatment.
  • Cardiovascular disease is a significant concern in HIV-infected populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review studies on abacavir therapy and myocardial risk in HIV patients.
  • To discuss potential mechanisms linking abacavir to cardiovascular events.
  • To propose a clinical decision-making algorithm for abacavir use.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current scientific literature and cohort studies.
  • Analysis of prospective randomized clinical trials.
  • Examination of preliminary cross-sectional studies on pathogenesis.

Main Results:

  • The D:A:D study first indicated an increased myocardial infarction rate with recent abacavir use.
  • Subsequent analyses largely confirmed the association between abacavir and cardiovascular disease risk.
  • Inflammation is a potential, though not fully understood, mechanism.

Conclusions:

  • Prospective studies are needed to solidify the link between abacavir therapy and cardiovascular events.
  • Consideration for replacing abacavir in high-risk patients is recommended if effective alternatives exist.
Abstract

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