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

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.