PULMONARY-HYPERTENSION IN HIV-INFECTED DR UG-ADDICTS - A 10 CASE-REPORT

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a classic complication associated with intravenous drug addiction. Various pathogenic mechanisms may be invol ved but HIV infection now appears to be the main etiologic factor. We report herein 10 cases of PH occurred in HIV+ intravenous drug abusers . Each patient had several pathogenic factors : HIV infection, pills c rushed and intravenously injected (6 cases), heavy and repeated consum ption of amphetamins and cocain (6 cases), cirrhosis with portal hyper tension (2 cases), anticardiolipid antibodies (2 cases). The clinical findings were similar to those reported for PH in HN seronegative pati ents; however; in 5 cases, opiates could have alleviated dyspnea, whic h became perceptible only at the time of drug withdrawal. Because drug addicts usually exhibit a weak support for medical prescriptions, lon g term therapy needing regular follow-up such as anticoagulation appea rs to be hazardous and even dangerous. The prognosis remains poor sinc e rite progression of PH led to the death of one third patients within the year following the diagnosis.