Low high density lipoprotein (HDL) and a lipid pattern consistent with atherogenic dyslipidemia are also common in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)infected population and is likely due, in large part, to the chronic inflammatory effect of HIV infection per se. While highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and the resultant reconstitution of the immune system might be expected to lead to improvement in this lipid profile, studies from our own research as well as others clearly demonstrate that such therapy fails to fully correct the low HDL pattern. This coronary artery disease (CAD) risk in the HIV population is then further compounded by the dyslipidemic effects of various protease inhibitors and other antiretroviral medications used to treat HIV.