Adherence
Lifestyle interventions (smoking cessation, diet modification, and regular exercise) are the primary and prioritized strategy for preventing cardiovascular disease in HIV-infected patients, with ART modification considered only if lifestyle changes fail to control risk factors.
For HIV patients, managing metabolic health starts with lifestyle, not drugs. Prioritize quitting smoking, which cuts heart disease risk by half. Adopt a diet low in fat and cholesterol but high in fiber and vegetables, and aim for 30 minutes of brisk walking five to seven days a week. Only if these steps fail to lower cholesterol to target levels should doctors consider changing your HIV medication or adding lipid-lowering drugs.
Lifestyle interventions – in particular smoking cessation – should be prioritized... A healthy diet, exercise and maintaining normal body weight tend to reduce dyslipidaemia; if not effective, a change of ART should be considered, followed by use of lipid-lowering medication in high-risk patients.
Why this rating
Based on extrapolation from general population guidelines and observational data, as RCTs in HIV are limited.
Source
European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) guidelines on the prevention and management of metabolic diseases in HIV<sup>*</sup>
Jens Lundgren et al. · HIV Medicine · 2008
DOI 10.1111/j.1468-1293.2007.00534.x
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Related findings · Adherence
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