Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
October 29, 2025
Viruses Triple Heart Attack, Stroke Risk; Vaccines Offer Protection
TLDR
- Vaccination provides a strategic advantage by reducing heart attack and stroke risks up to five-fold after viral infections, protecting long-term health outcomes.
- A meta-analysis of 155 studies found viral infections trigger inflammation and blood clotting mechanisms that elevate cardiovascular risks for weeks or years.
- Preventive vaccination against viruses can significantly reduce global cardiovascular disease burden, creating healthier communities and reducing healthcare system strain.
- Influenza and COVID infections can quadruple heart attack risk, while chronic viruses like HIV increase long-term cardiovascular dangers by triggering persistent inflammation.
Impact - Why it Matters
This research fundamentally changes how we understand cardiovascular risk by demonstrating that common viral infections—from seasonal flu to chronic conditions like HIV and shingles—significantly increase heart attack and stroke likelihood. For the general public, this means that staying current with recommended vaccinations isn't just about preventing illness but actively protecting cardiovascular health. The findings are particularly crucial for the millions of people with existing heart conditions or risk factors, as they face compounded dangers from viral infections. Given that cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, this research provides compelling evidence that routine vaccination could substantially reduce global heart attack and stroke rates, making preventive healthcare an essential component of cardiovascular protection.
Summary
New research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals alarming connections between viral infections and cardiovascular risks. A comprehensive review of 155 scientific studies found that influenza and COVID infections dramatically increase the risk of heart attack and stroke in the weeks following infection. People are four times more likely to have a heart attack and five times more likely to have a stroke in the month after laboratory-confirmed influenza, while COVID infection triples both heart attack and stroke risk for up to 14 weeks, with elevated risk persisting for a year. The study, led by Kosuke Kawai, Sc.D., from UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, represents one of the most comprehensive analyses of viral-cardiovascular connections to date.
The research also uncovered significant long-term cardiovascular risks from chronic viral infections. People with HIV face a 60% higher risk of heart attack and 45% higher risk of stroke, while hepatitis C infection increases heart attack risk by 27% and stroke risk by 23%. Even shingles, which affects about one in three people in their lifetime, carries a 12% higher heart attack risk and 18% higher stroke risk. The immune system's inflammatory response to viral infections appears to be the primary mechanism driving these increased risks, as inflammation contributes to plaque formation and rupture in arteries while promoting blood clotting tendencies that can persist long after the initial infection resolves.
Perhaps most importantly, the findings highlight the critical role of preventive measures, particularly vaccination, in reducing cardiovascular disease burden. The researchers cite evidence showing a 34% lower risk of major cardiovascular events among people receiving flu shots compared to placebo recipients. The American Heart Association now recommends that individuals with cardiovascular disease or risk factors consult healthcare professionals about appropriate vaccinations, recognizing that protection against viral infections offers significant cardiovascular benefits beyond preventing the infections themselves.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, Viruses Triple Heart Attack, Stroke Risk; Vaccines Offer Protection
