Preventing Heart Disease In The HIV Infected

Those with controlled HIV infections and undetectable virus levels enjoyed a 34% lower incidence of cardiovascular disease when treated with the blood cholesterol lowering agent pitavastatin. This game-changing multisite study headed by Harvard Medical School researchers was just published in the New England Journal. The Journal also published an excellent video that summarizes these remarkable results.

Of the 7769 HIV-infected subjects taking continuing antiretroviral therapy who participated in this Phase 3, randomized, double-blinded study, nearly 88% had undetectable virus. Half received pitavastatin 4mg daily and half received placebo.

At study termination in about 5 years, the incidence of major cardiovascular events was 4.81/1000 person-years in the pitavastatin group vs. 7.32/1000 person-years in the placebo group. The risk of cardiovascular death was 35% lower for the pitavastatin group. The statin use was associated with 31% drop in LDL cholesterol levels.

Previous studies have proven that HIV infections are associated with higher risks of significant and deadly cardiovascular disease. This significant trial with pitavastatin shows that the reduction in such disease among the HIV-infected is significantly greater than predicted by the reduction in LDL cholesterol alone.

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2304146
https://www.nejm.org/do/10.1056/NEJMdo007185/full/?query=infectious-disease&cid=DM2281992_Non_Subscriber&bid=1776619427

#hiv #cardiovascular #heart #pitavastatin #ldlcholesterol #nejm