Recommendations for Future Research:

• The role of covariates in HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
  
  
  • Role of other pathogens in HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
    
    
  • Autoimmune mechanisms in HIV-related cardiac conditions, particularly in combination with other pathogens.
    
    
  • Genetic predisposition for transition to dilated cardiomyopathy.
    
    
  • Incidence, prevalence, and pathophysiology of HIV-related cardiovascular disease in other vulnerable populations such as women, infants, and older individuals exposed to HIV and substance abuse.
    
    
  • Influence of other conditions such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, as well as lifestyle and behavior choices such as smoking and recreational drug abuse on HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
  
  
  
• Mechanisms of cellular injury in HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
  
  
  • Interactions of viral replication, immune system activation, inflammatory pathways, and reactive oxygen species in HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
    
    
  • Metabolic/energetic mechanisms such as the role of mitochondrial ATP production, cardiac myocyte energetics, increased reactive oxygen species, altered oxygen utilization, and changes in gene expression in HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
    
    
  • Role of highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART) in HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
    
    
  • Pharmacokinetic drug interactions between HAART and pharmaceuticals use in the treatment of cardiac disease.
    
    
  • Interactions between immune cell (infected and/or uninfected) and cardiac myocytes and their effects on recruitment mechanisms, gene expression alterations, and cell-cell signaling events.
    
    
  • Role of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in HIV progression and HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
  
  
  
• Pre-clinical investigations for therapies for HIV/AIDS-related cardiovascular complications.
  
  
  • Animal models for studying the effects of antiretroviral and immunorestorative therapies on HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
    
    
  • Animal models for testing optimal therapies for the treatment of HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
    
    
• Therapeutics and prevention trials for HIV/AIDS-related cardiovascular complications.
  
  
  • Optimal therapies for treating HIV-related cardiomyopathy considering whether these therapies should be different from other forms of cardiomyopathy.
    
    
  • Possibility and advantage of early intervention for HIV-related cardiovascular complications.
    
    
  • Alternative therapies (e.g., anti-oxidants, immunomodulators, nutritional therapies) for HIV-related cardiovascular complications.

Archive Home | Accessibility | Privacy | FOIA (NIH) | Current NIDA Home Page _ The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) , a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Questions? See our Contact Information. .