Hepatitis C increases risk of cardiovascular disease

'Hepatitis C virus increases the risk of coronary artery disease, a large American study published in the 15th July edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases has found. The study involved over 160,000 individuals, approximately half of whom were infected with hepatitis C. Despite having fewer risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the hepatitis C-infected individuals were more likely to have been diagnosed with coronary artery disease. 'This is the largest study to determine the role of hepatitis C virus infection in the risk if coronary artery disease', write the investigators. A number of infectious diseases, including HIV have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Many patients with HIV are co-infected with hepatitis C, and these individuals have a higher risk of early death from a number of causes than patients who are only infected with HIV" - NAM