Pitavastatin effective in treating cardiovascular diseases in HIV patients

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a greater threat and a gateway to a wide range of diseases. The risk of cardiovascular disease is increased among persons with HIV infection, hence studies are required to throw light on the same.

Pitavastatin is a popular class of medications called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins). It works by slowing the production of cholesterol in the body to decrease the amount of cholesterol that may build up on the walls of the arteries and block blood flow to the heart, brain, and other parts of the body.

A phase 3 trial reveals that patients with HIV infection when treated with pitavastatin had a lower risk of a major adverse cardiovascular event than those who received placebo over a follow up of 5 years. The study is published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

In the current phase 3 trial, researchers randomly assigned 7769 participants with HIV infection with a low-to-moderate risk of cardiovascular disease who were receiving antiretroviral therapy to receive daily pitavastatin calcium (at a dose of 4 mg) or placebo. The primary outcome was the occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event, which was defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, hospitalization for unstable angina, stroke, transient ischemic attack, peripheral arterial ischemia, revascularization, or death from an undetermined cause.