Cardiovascular Risk Remains High In Elite Controllers

[tednlou2]

Although I am not an elite, I guess I would be a slow progressor.  Just passed 11th year and not on  meds.  More info to consider.

 http://www.poz.com/articles/hiv_cardiovascular_elite_controllers_761_23015.shtml

[Common_ground]

What I miss many times in simplified articles and statements like this is more info on the subjects in the study.

60% in HIVers on ART with atherosclerosis and 42% in the HIV negative group, now how many percent of that would be dismissible due to past or present abuse or other health problems, smoking,age adjusted?

The study paper is probably more in to detail, however it brings a reminder of this:
http://www.thebody.com/content/69122/premature-aging-and-hiv-dispelling-myths-and-calcu.html?ic=7001

Were not too long ago experts claimed HIVers were at risk for cancers of all sorts way earlier than the general population, this belief probably stemmed from small studies, but once a larger cohort was made it showed quite the opposite.

Its nice we have people working for us in the field of HIV research but lets not jump the wagon just yet that we the majority are at risk for atherosclerosis. I understand the main objective were probably a comparison between the elite controllers and other groups but its too small to make any conclusions just yet.

juz ma 2...   

[buginme2]

Although I am not an elite, I guess I would be a slow progressor.  Just passed 11th year and not on  meds.  More info to consider.

 http://www.poz.com/articles/hiv_cardiovascular_elite_controllers_761_23015.shtml

It makes sense, inflammation can cause/increase heart disease risk.  HIV causes increased inflamation.  Even treated HIV doesnt stop the inflamation caused by HIV.

[Miss Philicia]

If they adjust for things like higher than normal smoking and recreational drug use, etc. etc. in pozzums v. larger population how does it change the numbers?

I get to go take four hours of cardiovascular tests in three days. Exciting! I'll soon know if I'm going to die sooner than I thought.

[buginme2]

Four hours of tests? Wow.  Sounds thorough nonetheless. 

Cardiovascular disease in HIV seems to be making a lot of news lately.  There was another article that people with HIV who had heart attacks were more likely to die from it than HIV negative people. 

Once again. Another joy of being HIV positive.  If the ass cancer doesnt get you a massive coronary will.

[Miss Philicia]

For the sake of being informative, I am having a Myocardial perfusion scan along with a standard stress test.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myocardial_perfusion_imaging

After my nasal surgery I had a second sleep test during which, while my apena issue was resolved, they detected a consistent premature ventricular contractions, so while in general it often means nothing, "something" can only be ruled out with this further cardiologist specialist routine, so I was sent there. I think my HIV specialist finds it a bit overkill, but once you enter the realm of multiple specialists you end up getting kicked around from office to office.

I'm looking at this positively that seeing that I'm at my 20 year mark of HIV medication/treatment I'll at least get a baseline at the age of 47 of how well my heart is functioning, and if something is actually wrong it will have been caught early. I don't think you can just routinely be sent for these tests and have insurance pay for it, so in a way I was lucky that my sleep test made me eligible.

The most depressing part of it is when I went to the cardiologist I was the youngest person in the waiting room... by like 20 years. Seemed a bit fucked up.

[tednlou2]

I get to go take four hours of cardiovascular tests in three days. Exciting! I'll soon know if I'm going to die sooner than I thought.

I realized just how out of shape I am, when I had my stress test on the treadmill.  It got going faster and faster, with a steeper and steeper incline.  I thought I was going to pass out.  It didn't help that I had two cardio docs arguing in the room over the best way to do this and best way to treat that, while I was on the treadmill.  They were both very unprofessional. 

And, I had my shirt off and this very hot, gay lab tech guy was in the room watching.  I think I was thinking too much about whether flab was giggling.  It was a very, very small room and there were two docs, two techs, and then a friggin repair guy came in to fix a sink that was leaking water everywhere.  And, this was our premier hospital--Jewish Hospital....the one that has done the hand transplants and first heart transplants.  The tech told me even very fit people have difficulty, when forced to begin running at a speed and incline you don't control.  I think she was just trying to spare my feelings.

[Miss Philicia]

I'm kind of worried about being able to do the stress test, but more due to having had foot surgery four months ago.

I didn't mention it at the time because I didn't know what it involved, so I've started to wonder if I should call them on Monday about it.

[friskyguy]

It makes sense, inflammation can cause/increase heart disease risk.  HIV causes increased inflamation.  Even treated HIV doesnt stop the inflamation caused by HIV.

Yes inflammation is the silent killer for us.....maybe a mini-aspirin every day or second day may help out here