ART and CVS

Q: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV patients increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A) True

B) False

Answer: B

Although in the past it was believed and was partially true that abacavir and most protease inhibitors are associated with an increased risk of Myocardial Infarction (MI), overall, most antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens do not increase the risk of MI. Instead, HIV infection itself accelerates atherosclerosis and the incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD). The rate of MI is higher in patients with HIV compared with patients without HIV who are matched for age and gender. 

Lower CD4 cell counts and higher HIV RNA levels have been found to be associated with increased MI risk.

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Reference:

Eyawo O, Brockman G, Goldsmith CH, et al. Risk of myocardial infarction among people living with HIV: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e02587