Current Scenario and Strategies to Tackle Cardiovascular Disease Risk in HIV Geriatrics

Owing to the advent of antiretroviral (ART) drugs, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has become a controllable infection, but pernicious health outcomes due to the infection are inevitable. Older people living with HIV (PLHIV) may face more problems than younger PLHIV, such as financial constraints, physical strength, and adaptability. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a major group of age-related disorders. A plethora of studies have reported the contribution of HIV to the development of various CVDs. Furthermore, the risk of CVD in the geriatric HIV population is higher than in the younger population. CVDs can be attributed to several risk factors, including immune dysfunction, damage to the endothelial cells lining blood vessels, abnormal lipid levels, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, sleep disorders, persistent inflammation, compromised immune function, and the use of ART in PLHIV. Despite the availability of data on CVD risk in the general population, the knowledge gap regarding the risk of CVD in geriatric PLHIV requires further exploration. Furthermore, the key strategies to overcome the risk of CVD in geriatrics are lifestyle changes and dietary management, followed by the selection of appropriate antiretroviral drugs and statins for the treatment of elderly PLHIV. This narrative review briefly discusses the epidemiology, risk factors, mechanisms, and CVD risk in older PLHIV, and strategies to overcome them.