Human HPV papillomavirus is a group of viruses that are most commonly spread by sexual activities – oral, vaginal and anal. Most infected persons do not show any symptoms, but they can still transmit the virus to others, which means that infection can spread unconsciously among people. People with HPV may have a 40 percent higher risk of developing heart disease and ischemic heart disease.
HPV is most often associated with cancer in women, mainly related to 95 percent of cervical cancer cases. However, according to cardiologists from Connecticut, it also increases the risk of circulatory diseases. “In our study, we clearly show that there is a link between HPV and cardiovascular diseases,” The chief author of the study by Dr. Stephen Akinfenwa of the University of Connecticut.
Scientists analyzed data to find out the relationship between HPV and heart disease, ischemic heart disease and high blood pressure. The results show that HPV patients were forty percent more likely to develop heart disease. The risk of ischemic heart disease was twice as opposed to people without HPV.
However, there was no significant link between HPV and high blood pressure. HPV infections, especially persistent infections, can cause chronic inflammation in the body and promote the growth of cancerous tumors. Chronic inflammation also causes diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
“We always talk about cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking or high blood pressure, but we know that about 20 percent of heart disease cannot be explained by these conventional factors. This means that it is important to identify unconventional risk factors such as HPV, which could be potentially affected by the potentially, ”said the authors.
