A clinical trial has investigated the development of high blood pressure in patients taking medication for HIV and AIDS.
What is HIV? HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body's immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Currently, there is no effective cure for HIV and AIDS. Once a person gets infected with HIV, they remain affected for life. Hypertension (HTN) is a common comorbidity among people with HIV. It is associated with an increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease.
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a type of treatment used to control HIV. ART has helped people with HIV live longer and healthier lives by reducing the viral burden. However, the relationship of ART to hypertension in HIV-infected patients remains a clinical question.
A recent clinical study has investigated the effects of several anti-HIV drugs on the risk of hypertension in HIV patients. The trial followed 2614 people with HIV who initiated ART. These patients were given several different anti-HIV drugs for 48 weeks after which they were assessed for increased blood pressure.
The results showed that 839 out of 2,614 patients (32%) developed hypertension after 48 weeks. The patients receiving a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) such as stavudine and efavirenz were at an increased risk of hypertension while tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, darunavir/ritonavir, and atazanavir/ritonavir were associated with a decreased risk of developing hypertension.