A study published in the European Heart Journal has found that women with high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a known cause of cervical cancer, may have a higher risk of dying from heart disease. The study, which included over 163,000 young and middle-aged Korean women without heart disease who were screened for high-risk HPV during a national health exam and tracked for up to 17 years, found that women infected with high-risk HPV were four times more likely to die from heart disease than those without the infection.
The researchers speculate that viral infections can lead to inflammation, which is a significant factor in heart disease development. However, further research, including studies involving men, is necessary to confirm these findings. Vaccines against HPV are highly effective in preventing cervical cancer, so future studies could examine whether these vaccines also have an impact on heart-related outcomes.
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