Cardiovascular disease in HIV-infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to assess the main characteristics of cardiovascular disease in HIV-infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). PATIENTS AND METHOD: Retrospective analysis of the clinico-epidemiological characteristics of 16 HIV-infected patients treated with HAART who had suffered a cardiovascular event from a 1,459 patients' cohort. RESULTS: Clinical presentation of cardiovascular disease was an acute coronary syndrome in 12 cases, ischemic stroke in 2 and peripheral vascular disease in 2. Patients included in the study had a mean of 3.2 cardiovascular risk factors, smoking and low HDL levels being the more prevalent risk factors. Eight (50%, 95% CI, 25-75%) patients fulfilled the criteria of metabolic syndrome. The mean CD4 count was 548 x 10(6)/l. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-infected patients on HAART have a high cardiovascular risk. A strict management of modifiable risk factors must be warranted in these patients.