A new study suggests that certain viruses may make people more susceptible to heart disease.
Independent research has shown that people infected with coronavirus or influenza face a “dramatically” greater risk. heart attack or stroke It increases up to 3-5 times in the weeks following infection.
Researchers reviewed 155 scientific studies to arrive at these findings, published this week in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
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“While it is well known that human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus, and other viruses can cause cancer, the link between viral infections and other non-communicable diseases is: cardiovascular diseaseare poorly understood,” said Kosuke Kawai, lead author of the study and an adjunct associate professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.
“Our study found that acute and chronic viral infections are associated with short- and long-term risks of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack.”
Researchers found that people were four times more likely to have a heart attack and five times more likely to have a stroke one month after testing positive for the flu, according to an AHA press release.
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After 14 weeks be infected with the new coronaviruspeople were three times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, with an increased risk for up to a year.
When the body fights a virus, the immune system releases chemicals that cause inflammation and make blood more likely to clot, the statement said.
These effects may remain even after you recover from the infection. Ongoing inflammation and clotting can put extra strain on the heart and contribute to plaque buildup within the arteries, which may help explain why some people are at higher risk for heart disease. heart attack or stroke within the next few weeks.
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“These findings suggest that low-grade inflammation plays a role in promoting activation of blood clotting and damaging the lining of the arteries that supply blood to our bodies,” said Dr. Bradley Serwer, an interventional cardiologist and chief medical officer at Vital Solutions, an Ingenovis Health company that provides cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals across the country.
“While we have known for some time about the link between inflammation and cardiovascular events, this study shows that many common viruses have a greater impact than previously thought,” added Sarwar, who is based in Maryland and was not involved in the study.
A marker of inflammation called C-reactive protein (CRP) is known to be associated with an increased risk of cardiac events, experts said.
Inflammation can damage arteries in a variety of ways, including causing microscopic tears.bad cholesterol(LDL) invades and forms plaques.
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“Further inflammation can destabilize the plaque and cause it to rupture, causing a heart attack or stroke,” Sarwar said. “Inflammation also triggers the clotting process by activating platelets.”
Studies have found that some chronic viruses, such as HIV, hepatitis C, and varicella-zoster virus (the virus that causes shingles), are associated with long-term cardiovascular risks.
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The person who says was infected with HIV They were found to have a 60% higher risk of heart attack and a 45% higher risk of stroke. People with hepatitis C had a 27% higher risk of heart attack and a 23% higher risk of stroke. The study found that shingles increased the risk of heart attack by 12% and the risk of stroke by 18%.
“The risk for cardiovascular disease is high, but it is low for HIV. Hepatitis C However, the risks associated with these three viruses remain clinically important, especially because they persist for long periods of time,” Kawai said in the release.
“Furthermore, shingles affects approximately one in three people during their lifetime. Therefore, the increased risk associated with this virus will result in a large number of excess cases of cardiovascular disease at the population level.”
researchers Recommended vaccinations Regarding influenza, the new coronavirus, and shingles, he cited research showing that people who have been vaccinated against influenza have a lower risk.
“Prevention measures against viral infections, including vaccination, can play an important role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Prevention is especially important for adults who already have cardiovascular disease or risk factors,” Kawai said.
Thurber agrees that vaccination against many of these common viruses is an “important prevention strategy.”
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The researchers acknowledged that the study had some limitations, including that it was based on an observational study and not a randomized controlled trial.
“Most studies have looked at infection with a single virus, so it is unclear how infection with multiple viruses occurs. viruses and bacteria “This may have influenced the results,” the release states.
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“The analysis focused on viral infections affecting the general public and did not identify high-risk groups (such as transplant recipients) who may be disproportionately affected.”
The researchers advised people with cardiovascular disease to see their doctor to discuss vaccine recommendations.
