Pitavastatin as a Potential Intervention for Cardiovascular Disease in HIV Infection

A clinical trial suggests pitavastatin could reduce cardiovascular disease risk in HIV patients.

TL;DR

A new phase 3 clinical trial suggests that pitavastatin may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in HIV patients, who have a higher risk than the general population. The trial involved 7769 participants on antiretroviral therapy and showed a lower incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events in the pitavastatin group after a median follow-up of 5.1 years. Though there were muscle-related complications and instances of diabetes mellitus, the significant hazard ratio indicates a 35% lower risk of CVD events in the pitavastatin group. While promising, more research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine if pitavastatin should become a standard part of HIV patient care.