Accelerated aging of blood vessels may occur due to Covid infection - Bloodstream infections with COVID-19 may accelerate vascular aging.
A large-scale international study has revealed that women who have been infected with COVID-19 experience accelerated vascular aging, leading to increased arterial stiffness. This effect is equivalent to about 5 to 10 years of vascular aging and may increase the risks of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attacks, and other vascular complications.
The CARTESIAN study, a multicenter study involving more than 2,000 participants from 16 countries, including Austria, found that women who had COVID-19 showed significantly elevated arterial stiffness. This was measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), with elevation observed to be approximately +0.5 m/s in non-hospitalized women and over 1 m/s in ICU-hospitalized women compared to uninfected women. Men, however, did not show differences between COVID-positive and negative groups in this marker.
The vascular aging effect appears to be partially reversible over time and was attenuated in people who were vaccinated. The aging process sometimes stabilised or decreased over time in infected individuals.
The study suggests that COVID-19 may accelerate vascular aging via endothelial dysfunction, immune activation, oxidative stress, and RAAS (renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system) imbalance. These changes contribute to increased arterial stiffness and pro-thrombotic states.
People who suffer from Long Covid are more affected than those with a mild course or no infection. The long-term effects may increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases, including thrombosis, vascular calcification, strokes, and heart attacks.
Dr. Dominik Rath, a cardiologist, finds it interesting that the group of people who were in the intensive care unit with COVID-19 showed a large degree of dynamism, as the aging processes in them had relatively reversed after the 12-month follow-up.
The study did not take place in Paris, but in 16 countries, including Austria. The participants were selected between September 2020 and February 2022. A device that measures how quickly a blood pressure wave moves from the carotid artery to the femoral arteries was used to determine the age of the blood vessels.
The findings are intriguing to experts, who have questions about whether COVID-19 is truly the cause of vascular aging and why women seem to be particularly affected. Further studies are necessary to clarify the cause of the findings and to determine whether a few people had a strong effect or many had a small effect on ageing in the groups.
It is hypothesized that the observed sex difference might be related to survivor bias (higher COVID mortality in men) or to sex-specific biological pathways influencing vascular aging after infection. People who had been vaccinated against COVID-19 had on average less stiff vessels than the unvaccinated.
The study highlights the importance of cardiovascular follow-up in women post-COVID to prevent or manage long-term vascular complications. A study published in the journal "European Heart Journal" supports these findings, suggesting that a COVID infection could speed up the aging of blood vessels.
- The health policy should emphasize the implementation of community policies that address the long-term cardiovascular risks associated with COVID-19, particularly in women.
- The study highlights the need for a comprehensive science-based health policy to address the vascular aging effects of COVID-19 in women.
- The workplace-wellness programs should include awareness about the potential impacts of COVID-19 on health, such as vascular aging and increased risks of cardiovascular diseases.
- The health policy must consider the adverse effects of COVID-19 on health, especially its role in accelerating vascular aging, in medical-condition and chronic-disease management.
- The observation of accelerated vascular aging in women due to COVID-19 underscores the need for a comprehensive health policy that addresses the prevention and management of cancer, given its increased risk due to this effect.
- Considering the impact of COVID-19 on respiratory conditions and digestive health, the health policy should focus on early detection and treatment to mitigate the risks associated with vascular aging.
- With the link between COVID-19 and eye-health, hearing, and skin-conditions emerging, a progressive health policy is necessary to tackle these potential issues.
- The health policy should prioritize therapies and treatments for COVID-19 to mitigate its effects on health, including its impact on vascular aging.
- Given the role of nutrition in overall health and its potential influence on vascular aging due to COVID-19, the health policy should promote healthy eating habits.
- As aging is a significant factor in the development of various medical conditions, the health policy should focus on strategies to slow down the aging process, including the effects of COVID-19.
- With the impact of COVID-19 on women's health, a gender-specific health policy is necessary to address the unique needs and risks of women.
- The health policy should provide resources for parenting education that includes awareness about the potential impacts of COVID-19 on health throughout various life stages.
- As obesity contributes to various health issues, including cardiovascular diseases, the health policy should prioritize weight-management programs to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19 and vascular aging.
- The health policy should consider the role of environmental factors, including climate change, in its response to COVID-19 and its impact on vascular aging.
- The health policy should allocate resources for mental-health services and men's health services to address the unique needs and risks of these groups in the context of COVID-19 and vascular aging.
