[Lipid profile of atazanavir]

Abstract

It is currently known that exposure to antiretroviral treatment, particularly to the classic protease inhibitors, is associated with an increased risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease, although stopping antiretroviral treatment can cause an even greater risk. Recommendations have been made on how to deal with dyslipaemia and cardiovascular risk in seropositive patients. These recommendations are similar to those for the general population, but include the particular feature of considering including benign treatment with lipids wherever possible. Atazanavir has different characteristics from other protease inhibitors as regards its effects on adipose tissue and metabolism in general. Atazanavir is not associated with increases in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol or triglycerides as with other PI in initial, rescue or simplification therapy. The results of in vitro studies and clinical studies are clear and convincing. These characteristics give it a particular role that is very attractive when deciding the most suitable antiretroviral treatment for a proportion of HIV-infected patients in whom the reduction in cardiovascular risk is seen as a priority.