HealthDay News — While the majority of HIV patients with dyslipidemia or hypertension are treated, a significant percentage still do not have adequate control of these cardiovascular disease risk factors, according to researchers.
After reviewing the electronic medical records for 4,278 HIV-infected patients aged 20 years or older in a HIV/AIDS clinic based in a large tertiary hospital, Merle Myerson, MD, EdD, of Mount Sinai Roosevelt and St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City and colleagues, reported their findings in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
The prevalence of LDL-C dyslipidemia was 35%, investigators found. Of the patients with LDL-C dyslipidemia, 90% were treated, and 75% of those treated were at goal.
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LDL-C goal was less likely to be met in patients in high-risk groups (56%), including known coronary heart disease (57%) or coronary heart disease equivalents (62%). Hypertension had a prevalence of 43%. While 75% of those with hypertension were treated, only 57% were at goal.
“As patients with HIV are at higher risk for CVD [cardiovascular disease] and living to an age where CVD is more common, it will be important to identify ways to better manage and control CVD risk factors in this patient population,” wrote the authors.
