Abacavir Use and CVD Risk

Earlier this year, analysis of data from the DAD cohort study unexpectedly showed current or recent abacavir use to be associated with a 90% increase in the risk for myocardial infarction (MI; Lancet 2008; 371:1417). This study also showed didanosine use to be associated with increased MI risk, although the effect was not as strong as with abacavir. Now, investigators associated with the SMART study — a large, randomized comparison of continuous versus intermittent antiretroviral therapy (ART) — have examined whether the association between abacavir use and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is reproducible.

Within the continuous-ART group, risk for CVD events was greater among patients using abacavir than among those using nucleoside reverse-tran…