[Heart involvement in HIV infection].

Postmortal examinations have shown cardiac involvement in more than 50 percent of patients with AIDS. Echocardiographic studies have shown exudative pericarditis in 18-38 percent of patients with AIDS. The pericardial effusion is usually without haemodynamic consequence, but may be associated with cardiac tamponade. Dilation and hypokinesia of the left ventricle have been found in 30 per cent of patients with AIDS. The impairement of the left ventricular function is primarily seen in febrile, severely diseased AIDS patients, while ambulatory HIV-positive patients have a low prevalence of myocardial involvement. AIDS-patients should be examined by echocardiography in case shortness of breath and hypoxemia are out of proportion to the pulmonary findings.