Doctors are warning that people who have risky and unprotected s3x are at an increased risk of a common virus that could lead to heart disease
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of viruses most often spread through oral or penetrative s3x and childbirth. About 42million people are infected with HPV and 98 percent of Americans have been exposed to the virus.
However, most people don’t show symptoms but can still infect others, meaning it could be unknowingly spread between people.
There is a preventative vaccine recommended for all children and teens, however, many adults are unvaccinated as they were past the recommended age to receive the vaccine when it first became available in 2006.
And a new study now suggests those with HPV may be at an 40 percent increased risk of developing heart disease and coronary artery disease.
The group of viruses is most often associated with cancer in women and is responsible for 95 percent of cervical cancers, but a new study ‘clearly’ shows a link between HPV and heart complications.
Dr Stephen Akinfenwa, lead author and an internal medicine resident at University of Connecticut School of Medicine: ‘Our study shows that clearly there is an association of some kind between HPV and cardiovascular disease.’
Researchers aren’t sure why there is a link, but hypothesized that it’s likely related to chronic inflammation in the body due to warts that sometimes develop from the virus.
The research, which is being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session next week, analyzed data from seven studies conducted between 2011 and 2024 that included nearly 250,000 patients.
The studies included data on HPV status and cardiovascular outcomes across a follow-up time of three to 17 years.
Three of the studies were from the US, two were from South Korea, one was from Brazil and the last from Australia.
It is unclear whether the patients had initially been suffering from HPV and developed cardiovascular issues over the years or had both conditions before each study was conducted.
The experts analyzed the data to investigate the relationship between HPV and cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure.
Results showed HPV-positive patients had a 40 percent higher likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease and twice the risk of developing coronary artery disease compared with HPV-negative patients.
No significant association was found between HPV and high blood pressure.
Despite adjusting for variables including sociodemographic factors, medical history, lifestyle behaviors, family history and use of blood pressure-lowering drugs, HPV-positive patients still had a 33 percent higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases as compared with patients without HPV.
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