NYMC Faculty Publications

Pitavastatin in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in People Living With HIV: A Review

Author Type(s)

Student, Faculty

DOI

10.1097/CRD.0000000000000646

Journal Title

Cardiology in Review

First Page

374

Last Page

378

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2025

Department

Medicine

Keywords

antiretroviral therapy, highly-active antiretroviral therapy, HIV, Pitavastatin

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

HIV is associated with a wide array of pathophysiologic mechanisms that ultimately contribute to mortality. While HIV is traditionally known as a disease that attacks the immune system, it is now established that infection with HIV can cause cardiovascular disease (CVD). Through inflammation, atherogenesis, interactions with antiretroviral therapy/highly-active antiretroviral therapy (ART/HAART), and other mechanisms, HIV is an independent risk factor for the development of CVD. The treatment of the CVD risks associated with HIV is complicated, especially due to interactions with hyperlipidemic drugs and ART/HAART. There is a prompt need for a drug (or drug class) that is known to reduce the risk of CVD, specifically in people living with HIV. Recently, the randomized trial to prevent vascular events in HIV trial evaluated the usage of pitavastatin in preventing major cardiac events in people with HIV, showing a significant reduction in cardiac events among those taking the therapeutic. In this review, we evaluate the mechanisms by which HIV contributes to CVD, and the randomized trial to prevent vascular events in HIV trial, and postulate about future directions of the drug in treating people living with HIV.

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