NHLBI IN THE PRESS

Depression, stress heightens the risk of atherosclerosis in women with HIV

A woman sitting in bed and touching her forehead looking sad and depressed

Women with HIV who have persistently high levels of depression and stress have a significantly greater risk of plaque build up in their arteries than those who rarely or never report these symptoms, a new study finds.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, analyzed data collected from 2004 to 2012 for 700 women with and without HIV who did not have coronary heart disease. The analysis found that more than twice as many women with HIV who reported high levels of stress and depression had plaques in their carotid arteries, compared to those who reported lower levels. New plaque continued to build up as depressive symptoms persisted. But there was no difference in plaque prevalence between women without HIV who were highly stressed or depressed and those who were not.

The study’s findings are in line with prior studies that have shown women with HIV are nearly three times more likely to have heart problems than women without HIV. The study was partly-funded by NHLBI.