Background: Highly Active Antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has prolonged the lifespan of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), but is linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Hypertension (HTN), a major contributor to CVD burden, has a rising global trend in PLHIV. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of hypertension in PLHIV on HAART at the Tiko Central Clinic and Cottage Hospital of Cameroon.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted for 4 months involving PLHIV receiving HAART. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 80 mmHg and/or current use of antihypertensive medication from medical records. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the associations of selected metabolic syndrome components and HIV-related factors with HTN.
Results: A total of 75 patients were studied, including 53 (70.7%) females with a mean age (±SD) of 42.04 ± 9.61 years. The duration of HAART ranged from 6 to 134 months, with a median duration of 42 months. The prevalence of HTN was 40.0% (95% CI: 28.9-52.0%). In a bivariate logistic regression analysis, HAART duration, HIV duration, and CD4 cell count were associated with hypertension. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that CD4 cell count of 200-499 cells/μL (AOR: 3.444, 95% CI: 1.015-11.678; p = 0.047) and HIV duration of ≥ 70 months (AOR: 3.444, 95% CI: 1.115-43.126; p = 0.038) were significantly associated with HTN.
Conclusions: The elevated prevalence of HTN in this population is driven by moderate-level CD4 cell count and high HIV duration. Reducing the burden of HTN in these patients requires a wide range of actions, including regular CD4 cell count testing, HAART adherence, and healthy lifestyle (regular exercise and cessation of excess alcohol) adoption.