Prime Highlights:
- There is strong evidence to show that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is linked with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease.
- The research implies that HPV-induced chronic inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of plaque build-up in arteries and cardiovascular effect of HPV vaccine.
Key Background:
A massive review at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25) discovered strong evidence of an association between HPV infection and heart disease. The review pulled statistics from about 250,000 patients across seven worldwide studies conducted between 2011-2024 and was the first major study to test the possible relationship. The study has also determined that persons testing HPV positive will similarly be susceptible to cardiovascular disease, such as coronary heart disease manifested through the existence of plaque in the arteries that result in less blood flowing through the heart. HPV is just one sexually transmitted ailment which has been documented with a standard practice of causing cancer within the cervix, anus, and pharynx as well.
The new literature demonstrates the impact of the virus to be more extensive than oncologic complications and to include cardiovascular well-being. The proposed mechanism is one of chronic inflammation associated with chronic HPV infection, which has been postulated to be implicated in atherosclerosis-fat deposition in the arterial wall. The pathway of inflammation is an established risk factor for the pathogenesis of heart disease. Based on these results, the authors of this article recommend more emphasis in practice and research on the cardiovascular impact of HPV. They suggest that HPV vaccine, firmly established in every respect for the prevention of cancer caused by HPV, might also have protective effect against heart disease. This double value has implications for the worth of vaccines in programs and can guide future public health policy to decrease the epidemiologic burden of cardiovascular diseases.
Although the study creates a plausible connection between HPV and heart disease, further research will be necessary to un-tangle the precise biological processes involved and confirm the presumed cardiovascular benefits of HPV vaccine. Physicians should keep these findings in mind when deciding whether or not to consider the numerous benefits of HPV preventive interventions.
