World News : New international research has revealed that COVID-19 infection can accelerate vascular aging, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cardiac arrest—even in patients with mild symptoms.
The study, conducted across 16 countries and involving 2,390 participants, observed that arteries in post-COVID patients showed signs of stiffening typically associated with natural aging over five or more years. These vascular changes were found to occur much earlier due to the infection, raising significant concerns about the long-term impact of the virus on cardiovascular health.
“COVID-19 doesn’t just affect the lungs or immune system,” said Prof. Rosa Maria Bruno from Université Paris Cité, France. “It directly targets the vascular system, making your arteries biologically older than your actual age, which increases the likelihood of serious heart conditions.”
Data was collected between September 2020 and February 2022, and the findings showed that arterial stiffness was notably higher in infected individuals compared to those who had never contracted the virus.
What’s alarming is that this effect wasn’t limited to severe cases. Even patients with mild symptoms exhibited similar vascular aging. The impact was especially pronounced in women and those suffering from Long COVID, with symptoms like shortness of breath and chronic fatigue being strong indicators of increased arterial stiffness.
Prof. Bruno suggested that the stronger immune response in women might be responsible for this heightened vulnerability, which, while protective, may also cause additional vascular damage.
On a hopeful note, the study found that individuals who had been vaccinated showed less vascular stiffness, indicating a protective benefit of the vaccine beyond infection prevention. Over time, some improvement or stabilization in vascular health was also noted among recovered patients.
The study underscores that COVID-19 is not just a respiratory infection, but a multi-system disease with long-term implications for vascular and cardiac health.
