Trends in Utilization of Statin Therapy and Contraindicated Statin Use in HIV‐‐Infected Adults Treated With Antiretroviral Therapy From 2007 Through 2015

Abstract

Background

HIV is associated with an increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which may result in many people living with HIV taking a statin. Some statins are contraindicated with certain antiretroviral therapies ( ART) and other medications commonly used by HIV‐infected patients.

Methods and Results

We analyzed trends in the use of statins, including contraindicated statins, between 2007 and 2015 among HIV‐infected patients aged ≥19 years taking ART who had employer‐sponsored or Medicare supplemental health insurance in the Marketscan database (n=186 420). Statin use was identified using pharmacy claims. Contraindicated statin use was defined by a pharmacy claim for HIV protease inhibitors, cobicistat, hepatitis C protease inhibitors, anti‐infectives, calcium channel blockers, amiodarone, gemfibrozil, or nefazodone followed by a fill for a contraindicated statin type and dosage within 90 days. The percentage of beneficiaries with HIV taking a statin remained unchanged between 2007 (24.6%) and 2015 (24.7%). Among those taking a statin, the percentage taking a contraindicated statin declined from 16.3% in 2007 to 9.0% in 2014 and then increased to 9.8% in 2015. The proportion of contraindicated statin fills attributable to HIV protease inhibitors declined from 63.9% in 2007 to 51.0% in 2015, while those attributable to cobicistat increased from 0% before 2012 to 20.6% in 2015.

Conclusions

Changes in ART regimens resulted in a decline in contraindicated statin use from 2007 to 2014, but this favorable trend was attenuated in 2015 because of increased use of cobicistat‐containing ART regimens.