HIV Patients have higher risk of heart failure, stroke: study

Patients of HIV have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart failure and stroke, say researchers. "Our findings reinforce the importance of primary prevention of cardiovascular disease through control of risk factors such as high blood pressure or smoking in persons living with HIV," said study lead author Alvaro Alonso from Emory University in the US.


The said study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study analysed information from a wide database of health insurance companies. For the purpose of the study, the research team analysed information 19,798 people living with HIV and 59,302 age- and sex-matched non-infected individuals who were followed for an average of 20 months.
The team added that patients of HIV have 3.2 times and 2.7 times higher risk of heart failure and stroke respectively when compared to non-infected persons. The association of HIV infection with cardiovascular disease was especially strong for persons younger than 50 years of age and those without a prior history of CVD said the study.
However, people living with HIV did not have an increased risk of peripheral artery disease and only moderately increased risk of heart attack or atrial fibrillation.