New research funded by the National Insitute of Health (NIH) shows a link between SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
The research revealed that SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect the arteries of the heart, and can cause the fatty plaque inside arteries to become inflamed.
This inflammation of arteries can lead to health issues like a heart attack or stroke.
Previous studies on SARS-CoV-2 have shown it can infect tissues in the brain and lungs, but this is the first time a link was connected to the coronary arteries.
Researchers found that people with a build up of plaque in their arteries could increase the severity or persistence of COVID-19. Researchers say increased inflamation in the arteries may explain why people who had COVID-19 may have cardiovascular complications even long after they were infected.
These new findings could help scientists discover why some people who get COVID-19 risk a greater chance of developing cardiovascular disease. It could also shed light on why people with heart issues develop more heart-related complications after COVID.
“Since the early days of the pandemic, we have known that people who had COVID-19 have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease or stroke up to one year after infection,” said Michelle Olive, Ph.D., acting associate director of the Basic and Early Translational Research Program at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of NIH. “We believe we have uncovered one of the reasons why.”
“This study is incredibly important as it adds to the larger body of work to better understand COVID-19,” said Olive. “This is just one more study that demonstrates how the virus both infects and causes inflammation in many cells and tissues throughout the body. Ultimately, this is information that will inform future research on both acute and Long COVID.”
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The findings were published in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research.
During the study the researchers focused on older adults with fatty buildup who died from COVID-19.
However, researchers say that because the COVID virus infects the arteries no matter the existing levels of plaque, that their findings could have wider-spread implications for any person who experiences COVID-19.
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