Abacavir and CVD — More Data but No Consensus

Studies this year were evenly split, leaving patients and clinicians with few answers.

Nearly two years have passed since we first heard about a possible association between abacavir use and increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but we still don't have any clear answers or even a plausible mechanism. This is not for lack of effort.

In the past year alone, at least a dozen studies have been presented or published on the topic, including two 96-week randomized trials that directly compared abacavir/3TC and tenofovir/FTC. Both trials showed that the drugs were comparable in efficacy when taken as part of a larger antiretroviral regimen, but the safety results were a draw: The HEAT study showed no difference in the safety profiles of the two drugs (JW AIDS Clin Care Jul 20 2009). In contrast, in the STEAL study, the aba…

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Keith Henry, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardViiV Advisory Board

Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

Keith Henry, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardViiV Advisory Board

Editorial BoardsJAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

Abacavir and CVD — More Data but No Consensus

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