09/01/2025
A large international study has found that a Covid-19 infection can accelerate the aging of blood vessels, particularly in women.
The research, published in the European Heart Journal, suggests that even mild cases of Covid may result in what scientists call “early vascular ageing”—a condition in which blood vessels become stiffer and behave as if they belong to someone older, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.
The study followed 2,390 participants across 16 countries. Researchers measured the stiffness of their arteries using pulse wave velocity (PWV), a method that tracks how quickly blood pressure waves move through the body. Higher PWV readings indicate stiffer vessels and a higher “vascular age.”
The results showed that people who had Covid—whether mildly or severely—had stiffer arteries compared to those who had never been infected. In women, even mild infections led to a clinically significant rise in PWV, equivalent to approximately five years of vascular aging. The stiffening was more pronounced in those who experienced long Covid symptoms like fatigue and breathlessness. Women treated in intensive care saw the greatest increases in vascular aging, with their PWV rising by over 1 meter per second.
Vaccination appeared to offer some protection, with vaccinated individuals showing less arterial stiffening than their unvaccinated counterparts. Importantly, the vascular effects seemed to stabilize or slightly improve over time.
Scientists believe the virus may damage blood vessels by targeting ACE2 receptors, which are abundant in the vascular lining. Women’s stronger immune response might paradoxically lead to greater post-infection inflammation, explaining their heightened vulnerability.
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📄 RESEARCH PAPER
📌 Rosa Maria Bruno et al, “Accelerated vascular ageing after COVID-19 infection: the CARTESIAN study”, European Heart Journal (2025)
