CARDIAC MANIFESTATIONS OF HIV AIDS - A REVIEW OF DISEASE SPECTRUM ANDCLINICAL MANAGEMENT/

HIV and AIDS involve multiple organ systems. Lungs, brain, skin, gastr ointestinal tract, kidneys, and heart are the major organs targeted by the direct effects of HIV infection and the secondary opportunistic c omplications of AIDS. Although most other organ system involvement has been extensively described in numerous studies and reviews, cardiac a bnormalities related to HIV infection have remained less well characte rized, partially because their pathogenesis was less clear and their c linical significance was uncertain. Most studies that have described c ardiac complications in AIDS patients were postmortem, although some c linical series have been reported. It is now clear that cardiac involv ement in AIDS patients is relatively common. Although most such condit ions are clinically quiescent, some may have devastating and fatal out comes. Pericardial effusion and myocarditis are among the most commonl y reported abnormalities. Cardiomyopathy, endocarditis, and coronary v asculopathy have also been reported. In this review, we discuss the mo st common cardiac abnormalities in HIV-infected patients, as well as t heir clinical significance, clinical presentation, and management.