Common viral infections like flu and shingles can raise your risk of heart attack and stroke, analysis finds

"Covid-19 infections have been strongly linked with cardiovascular conditions like heart disease and stroke, but new research shows that other viral infections such as influenza, HIV, hepatitis C and shingles can also increase the risk of heart problems and cardiovascular disease. The meta-analysis, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, reviewed 155 studies spanning decades and found that viral infections can raise the risk of heart disease both immediately after an infection and over the long term."

"One way to prevent this is really vaccination, said lead study author Dr. Kosuke Kawai, an adjunct professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. Often, we get vaccinated to reduce the risk of influenza or other illness, but I think vaccines can provide additional benefit in terms of potentially protecting against cardiovascular disease."

"The authors of the new research concluded that influenza and Covid-19 infections were associated with higher risk of acute cardiovascular events such as heart attacks. Chronic viral infections such as HIV, hepatitis C and shingles were associated with a long-term increased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. The new study also notes that cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, hepatitis A, human papillomavirus (HPV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), dengue and chikungunya have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,"

Viral infections increase the risk of cardiovascular disease both immediately after infection and over the long term. Influenza can raise the risk of heart attack up to sixfold within a month. COVID-19 nearly doubles the risk of developing heart disease or stroke compared with no infection. Chronic infections such as HIV, hepatitis C and shingles are linked to long-term increases in coronary heart disease and stroke risk. Other viruses including cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, hepatitis A, HPV, RSV, dengue and chikungunya have been associated with elevated cardiovascular risk. Vaccination can reduce infection and may offer cardiovascular protection.

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