Highly active antiretroviral therapy and the cardiovascular system: the heart of the matter.
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has prolonged many patients' lives, but many cardiac sequelae of HIV are not affected by HAART and continue to develop even with treatment. In addition, HAART itself causes in a high proportion of patients a metabolic syndrome, characterized by lipodystrophy/lipoatrophy, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance that may be associated with an increase in coronary artery disease and stroke. Careful cardiovascular evaluation in the course of HIV disease can identify cardiac complications early enough to treat. All HIV-infected patients are candidates for antiretroviral therapy and patients already under treatment should undergo an assessment that includes the evaluation of the cardiovascular risk according to the available guidelines.
Barbaro
Giuseppe
G
Department of Medical Pathophysiology, University 'La Sapienza', Rome, Italy. g.barbaro@tin.it
D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors