Cardiovascular Risk among People Living with HIV in Ghana.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a growing concern among people living with HIV (PLHIV) due to various risk factors and the long-term effects of HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study aimed to assess the cardiovascular risk among PLHIV in the Western Region of Ghana in 2022.

Materials and methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed to estimate cardiovascular risk among PLHIV in Ghana's Western Region in 2022. Data from medical records was collected from an urban and a rural hospital. The Framingham Risk Score (FRS) was used to estimate 10-year cardiovascular risk. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, correlation between lab-based FRS and body mass index (BMI)-based FRS, health characteristics by settlement type and factors associated with High FRS were analysed.

Results: A total of 322 PLHIV was enrolled for this study, with a majority being female (76.1%) and aged 36-45 years (37%). Prevalent cardiovascular risk factors were dyslipidemia (28%), hypertension (26.3%), and diabetes (19.3%), while obesity (7.5%) and smoking (2.2%) were less prevalent. The lab-based FRS categorized 5.9% of participants as having a high cardiovascular risk. In comparison, the BMI-based FRS classified 12.1% in the high-risk category. There was a significant correlation between the lab-based FRS and BMI-based FRS. Employment status and religion were significant factors associated with cardiovascular risk.

Conclusions: Cardiovascular diseases is a growing concern among PLHIV due to various risk factors and the long-term effects of HIV and ART. The findings of this study could contribute to improve cardiovascular health outcomes in PLHIV and provide a model for addressing comorbidities in resource-limited settings.