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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

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Published on: April 17, 2017
Is statin therapy safe in patients with HIV/hepatitis C coinfection?
Jeffrey S Stroup1, Bryan Harris
1Department of Internal Medicine, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Insights
Statins are safe for patients with HIV and hepatitis C virus coinfection. Further prospective studies are recommended to confirm the safety of statin therapy in this population.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Infectious Diseases
- Hepatology
Background:
- Statins effectively manage hypercholesterolemia.
- Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infections often require statin therapy.
- The safety of statins in coinfected patients is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety of statin therapy in patients coinfected with HIV and HCV.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective evaluation of five coinfected patients receiving statin therapy in an outpatient setting.
Main Results:
- Statins were found to be safe in the evaluated coinfected patient cohort.
- No adverse events related to statin use were reported in this small sample.
Conclusions:
- Statins appear to be safe for individuals coinfected with HIV and HCV.
- Further investigation via a prospective controlled trial is warranted to confirm these findings and establish definitive safety guidelines.
Abstract:
Statins are effective therapy for hypercholesterolemia and are commonly indicated in patients with HIV and hepatitis C virus infections. Unfortunately, in patients coinfected with these viruses, the safety of statins has not been conclusively evaluated. We retrospectively evaluated five coinfected patients in our outpatient clinic who received statin therapy. Although the sample size was small, we found that statins were safe in this population and recommend that further evaluation with a prospective controlled trial be undertaken to definitively answer this safety issue.
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