Poor Adherence: The Conceivable Cause of Cardiovascular Diseases in People on Antiretroviral Therapy

Abstract

Apart from the deterrence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) progression, antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), as with HIV itself. With both HIV and ART being linked to CVDs in similar mechanisms, there is not yet an established relationship between ART and CVDs using adherence in people living with HIV (PLWH). The use of adherence may help shed light on understanding whether the CVDs are a result of ART or HIV due to poor adherence. Henceforth, the aim of this paper was to explore the possible relationship between ART adherence and CVDs. Based on evidence from the literature, there is convincing evidence to suggest that CVDs in people on ART are from HIV itself as a result of uncontrolled viremia due to poor adherence to ART.