Epidemiology of coronary heart disease in patients with human immunodeficiency virus

As a growing number of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have access to antiretroviral therapy and achieve virologic suppression, the focus of clinical care is shifting from treating the infectious complications of advanced immunodeficiency to managing and preventing chronic disease. The aging of the HIV-positive population and increased rates of chronic disease complications in the setting of HIV infection have increased the impact of noncommunicable diseases such as coronary heart disease (CHD). The effect of HIV on CHD is independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and antiretroviral medications and is likely due in part to the chronic inflammation and immune activation underlying HIV infection. This article describes the current state of epidemiologic knowledge on CHD in HIV infection. It highlights key studies in the field and summarizes epidemiologic data with respect to traditional and novel CHD risk factors, specialized clinical subgroups, and broader cardiovascular outcomes.