Cardiac care must become an integral part of long-term HIV treatment, experts say

BENGALURU KARNATAKA 20/08/2026: Vehicles line up as roads are blocked for the flag hoisting ceremony to kick off the annual Feast of Our Lady 2026 at Our Lady’s Basilica in Bengaluru on August 4, 2026. PHOTO: ALLEN EGENUSE | J Photo credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J

Cardiovascular health must receive more attention in the long-term care of people living with HIV because advances in antiretroviral therapy are helping them live longer, speakers at a national symposium on HIV and heart disease said here Saturday.

The ‘HIV and Heart Symposium 2026’, organized by the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research in collaboration with the AIDS Society of India, brought together cardiologists, HIV specialists and other experts to discuss the emerging links between HIV and cardiovascular disease.

HS Nataraj Setty, associate professor of cardiology at Jayadeva and course director of the symposium, said the success of antiretroviral therapy has significantly changed the course of HIV care.

“People living with HIV are now able to lead longer and healthier lives. As life expectancy improves, we also need to focus on cardiovascular health and other long-term complications,” he said.

Director Jayadeva B. Dinesh said cardiovascular disease could become an important health problem among people living with HIV and emphasized the need for early recognition, appropriate testing and timely treatment.

Comprehensive care

The symposium also explored how India’s response to HIV has evolved over four decades, from early efforts to control the epidemic to the widespread availability of affordable antiretroviral treatment.

Ishwar Gilada, Secretary-General of the People’s Health Organization and President Emeritus of the AIDS Society of India, in his presentation, “From Local to Global: India’s Four-Decade Journey Against AIDS,” traced the country’s response to HIV from the first public warnings and early clinical interventions in the 1980s to community-based prevention and widespread access to antiretroviral therapy.

He said the availability of affordable generic drugs has helped bridge the gap between HIV treatment availability and access in resource-constrained countries, including those in Africa.

The need for specialized cardiology care

Narayana Health chairman Devi Prasad Shetty said there were relatively few hospitals willing to provide cardiac treatment to people living with HIV because of concerns about infection when handling blood.

“Some hospitals hesitate because of the perceived risk in handling the blood of these patients. Jayadeva has set an example by treating more than 1,200 such patients,” he said.

Notes by Dr. The Shettys emerged against the backdrop of Jayadeva’s experience of treating HIV-related heart disease. Dr. Nataraj Setty said that since 2013, he has treated 1,209 such patients at the institute.

Published – 29 Aug 2026 23:01 IST