Flu and Covid-19 increase the risk of heart attack and stroke

Los Angeles (dpa) – Influenza and coronavirus infections markedly raise the short-term risk of acute cardiovascular disease, according to a UCLA-led review published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The risk of a heart attack or a stroke rises to around four to five times following an influenza infection, the team led by Kosuke Kawai from the University of California in Los Angeles reported in a study published in late October. After a SARS-CoV-2 infection, the risk of both heart attack and stroke is roughly tripled, while other viruses are linked to smaller but longer-lasting risks. It is already known that human papillomaviruses, hepatitis B viruses and other viruses can trigger cancer. "The link between viral infections and other non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, is less well understood," Kawai was quoted as saying by the American Heart Association. The researchers identified more than 52,000 studies published between 1997 and 2024 on viral infections and cardiovascular disease, and selected 155 that met their quality criteria and could be compared using statistical methods. The strongest associations in the analysis were seen with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza. In the four weeks after the onset of flu, stroke risk was five times higher than in people without flu, while heart attack risk was four times higher. Within four weeks of a SARS-CoV-2 infection, heart attack risk was increased 3.1-fold and stroke risk 2.9-fold. The researchers attribute the elevated risk to substances released by the body’s immune response that drive inflammation and promote blood clotting, thereby impairing the cardiovascular system. Theanalysis also found that with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, heart attack risk was higher by 60% and stroke risk by 45%. Hepatitis C was linked to a 27% rise in heart attack risk and a 23% rise in stroke risk. For the varicella zoster virus (shingles), the increases were smaller (heart attack: 12%, stroke: 18%). These figures also refer to the four-week period after infection. "The risks associated with those three viruses are still clinically relevant, especially because they persist for a long period of time," Kawai emphasized. The authors argue for broader vaccination against viruses that can provoke cardiovascular disease. "Preventive measures against viral infections, including vaccination, may play an important role in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease," Kawai said. The authors point to a 2022 review showing that a flu vaccination was associated with a 34% lower risk of a major cardiovascular event. The current study also indicated raised cardiovascular risk with other viruses, including herpes simplex virus 1, hepatitis A virus, human papillomavirus and the viruses that cause dengue fever and chikungunya fever. However, the findings were less clear than for the viruses above. The authors call for further research into links with cardiovascular disease, as these infections are widespread globally. The following information is not intended for publication dpa fm zlw yyzz n1 swe

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