A telehealth-delivered intervention to extend the veteran HIV treatment cascade for cardiovascular disease prevention: V-EXTRA-CVD study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Veterans living with HIV have up to twice the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) compared to those without HIV. Objective: Our study seeks to test a non-physician led virtual self-management implementation strategy to reduce ASCVD risk among people living with HIV (PWH). We aim to conduct a randomized control trial among PWH ( n  = 300) with a diagnosis of hypertension (HTN) who are enrolled in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) clinics, on suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART), randomized 1:1 to intervention vs. education control for a 12-month duration. Methods: Using human centered design approach, we have adapted a previous 5-component telehealth focused, non-physician led intervention to a Veteran population. The education control arm receives enhanced education in addition to usual care. The primary outcome is 6 mmHg reduction in systolic BP over 12-month in the intervention arm compared to the control arm. The secondary outcome is a 12-month difference in non-HDL cholesterol. While each component of our intervention has an evidence base, they have not been tested together in an HIV context. Conclusion: The proposed multicomponent intervention has the potential to improve cardiovascular outcomes in PWH using novel virtual care methods in a patient centered care approach.