Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014
The National Institutes of Health has launched a clinical trial to assess the effects of aspirin and cholesterol-lowering drugs, or statins, on preventing cardiovascular disease in people with long-term HIV infections. This group, which includes people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) as well as „elite controllers“ who can limit the virus without ART, have a higher risk of developing heart disease and stroke compared to the general population. The study is funded by NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
„With the remarkable success of antiretroviral therapy, people living with HIV have a near-normal life expectancy,“ said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. „However, as this population ages, non-infectious complications such as cardiovascular disease begin to arise. We need to study the effects on the immune system of drugs normally prescribed for these conditions to ensure that they are beneficial for HIV-infected individuals.“
