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Tobacco use, HIV and hepatitis C

ASH Scotland briefing on tobacco use, HIV and hepatitis C (April 2016)

Key points:

  • people who are HIV positive are significantly more likely to smoke than HIV negative individuals
  • higher smoking rates in people who are HIV positive mean a higher burden of tobacco-related disease and mortality
  • HIV positive smokers are at a higher risk than HIV negative smokers of developing chronic health problems including heart attacks and strokes, cancers, respiratory diseases, and degenerative brain disorders
  • exposure to other people’s tobacco smoke is also a health hazard
  • smoking further impairs the health of people with HIV, late-stage HIV and hepatitis C so cessation should be a key part of health care provision
  • smoking can interfere with the way in which some HIV and hepatitis C medications are processed by the liver.
NEW:
In a setting where HIV care is well organized and antiretroviral therapy is free of charge, HIV infected smokers lose more life-years to smoking than to HIV. The excess mortality of smokers is tripled and the population-attributable risk of death associated with smoking is doubled among HIV patients compared to the background population.
Helleberg M et al.  Mortality Attributable to Smoking Among HIV-1–Infected Individuals: A Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Study.  Clinical Infectious Diseases. 

Smoking is the biggest single risk factor for acute heart disease in people with HIV. 
Development of effective smoking cessation strategies should be prioritized to prevent cardiovascular disease in HIV-positive adults.
Sanchez-Calvo M et al. Differences between HIV-infected and uninfected adults in the contributions of smoking, diabetes and hypertension to acute coronary syndrome: two parallel case-control studies. HIV Med, online edition. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1293.2012.01057.x, 2012

Further information and support

HIV Scotland: www.hivscotland.com
HIV Scotland is a national voluntary agency that seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV, and to prevent the spread of HIV.
Telephone: 0131 558 3713, e-mail: info@hivscotland.com

Hepatitis Scotland: www.hepatitisscotland.org.uk Hepatitis Scotland is a national voluntary organisation that seeks to help improve responses to viral hepatitis prevention, treatment and support through training, capacity building and patient involvement services.                                                                                             Telephone: 0141 225 0419, e-mail: enquiries@hepatitisscotland.org.uk

Waverley Care: www.waverleycare.org
Waverley Care offers services that allow people diagnosed with HIV or hepatitis C to be cared for and supported throughout their illness. 
Telephone: 0131 558 1425, e-mail: info@waverleycare.org

Terrence Higgins Trust: www.tht.org.uk
Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland is a leading HIV and sexual health charity which provides a range of services across Scotland.                            Telephone: 0808 802 1221,e-mail: info.scotland@tht.org.uk

Briefings