Recent research at the Clinic of Infectious Diseases in Bari, Italy has found that HIV infection increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies only examined the risk in patients undergoing antiretroviral treatment (ART), whereas this assessment also includes patients who have never used ART.

In the study, 20 percent of the HIV patients showed cardiovascular damage at the conclusion of the evaluation period. The main form of damage observed was atherosclerosis, the hardening and thickening of arteries from the buildup of fatty molecules such as cholesterol. Atherosclerosis is often followed by heart attack or death.

The usual risk factors for cardiovascular disease – old age, family history, diabetes, smoking, and obesity – play an equal role among HIV-infected individuals as uninfected individuals. Additionally, for HIV-positive individuals receiving ART, interruptions in the treatment regimen have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk.

A previous study at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco, found that HIV infection increases the risk of atherosclerosis by the same amount as diabetes and smoking. Scientists hypothesize that this is a consequence of the body’s response to HIV infection; immune response to infection and inflammation has already been linked with atherosclerosis.

Because of the results of multiple studies linking HIV infection and cardiovascular disease, scientists are now recommending cardiovascular tests for all patients in advanced stages of HIV.

Cardiovascular complications are becoming a more common cause of death in the HIV-infected population. The success of ART allows HIV-infected individuals to live longer, which increases their risk of developing atherosclerosis. Further research must be completed The results of these studies are the next step in prolonging the lives of HIV patients everywhere.

For the original publication of the study, please see the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Web site. More information on the San Francisco study can be found at the University of California Web site.