Background
Little data exist on the risk and outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in people with HIV (PWH). We aimed to describe OHCA in PWH as compared with the general population in terms of incidence, characteristics, and survival.

Methods
This nationwide study assessed all individuals aged 18–85 years between 2001 and 2019 in Denmark. The cumulative incidence of OHCA was computed using cause-specific Cox models accounting for competing risk of death.

Results
Among 6 565 309 individuals, 6 925 (median age: 36; interquartile range [IQR]: 28–44 y; 74% males) were infected at some point with HIV. The incidence of OHCA was 149 (95% CI: 123–180)/100 000 person-years in PWH versus 64 (95% CI: 64–65)/100 000 person-years in people without HIV (P < .001). Age at the time of cardiac arrest was 52 (IQR: 44–61) years in PWH versus 69 (IQR: 59–77) years in individuals without HIV (P < .001). In a multivariable model adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, and renal failure, PWH had a 2-fold higher risk of OHCA (hazard ratio: 2.84; 95% CI: 2.36–3.43; P < .001). Thirty-day mortality (89% vs 88%; P = .80) was comparable to individuals without HIV.

Conclusions
HIV is an independent risk factor for OHCA, and those who experience OHCA with HIV are much younger than those without HIV. Almost 90% of PWH died 1 month after OHCA. Further research should strive to find out how to reduce OHCA occurrence in this population.