Hidden heart risk of HPV: What new research reveals

When people think about human papillomavirus (HPV), cancer tends to be the initial medical risk that comes to mind. For years, HPV has been connected with various types of cancer, such as those located in the cervix, genitals, anus, and throat.

However, research now suggests another potential link of concern: heart disease.

Researchers from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine have analyzed a large set of data from close to 250,000 patients in multiple countries.

The results indicate that people who have HPV are far more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease than people without the virus.

HPV and heart disease

“Our study shows that clearly there is an association of some kind between HPV and cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Stephen Akinfenwa, who is an internal medicine resident at UConn School of Medicine and the study’s lead author.

“The biological mechanism has not been determined but is hypothesized to be related to chronic inflammation. We would ultimately like to see if reducing HPV via vaccination could reduce cardiovascular risk.”

This study stands out because it’s the first to bring together findings from multiple global studies – seven in total – that span the years 2011 to 2024.

These studies followed patients for anywhere between three and 17 years and came from the United States, South Korea, Brazil, and Australia. Most were long-term observational studies.

What the data shows

The researchers employed a number of statistical techniques to compare the relationship between HPV and three diseases: cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, and hypertension.

The findings were dramatic. HPV-positive patients had a 40% greater likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease and were twice as likely to have coronary artery disease than participants who were HPV negative.

Even after the researchers controlled for risk factors that normally affect heart health, such as smoking, diabetes, lifestyle and family history, HPV carriers remained 33% more at risk of developing heart disease.

In an interesting aside, no robust association was identified between HPV and high blood pressure.

What this means for patients and doctors

The human papillomavirus is very prevalent and transmitted through close or intimate contact. Although most people equate HPV with genital warts and cancers, this new report indicates that it could also have implications for heart health.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already advises that all children and adolescents should receive the HPV vaccine in order to avoid the development of cancers associated with this viral infection. But a lot of adults didn’t get the vaccine when it was initially offered in 2006.

This new information may impact the way clinicians treat heart health in HPV-positive patients.

“We always talk about cardiovascular risk factors like smoking, high blood pressure and so on, but we know that about 20% of cardiovascular disease cannot be explained by these conventional risk factors,” said Akinfenwa.

“This makes it important to identify non-conventional risk factors like HPV that could potentially be targeted.”

Part of a larger picture

More research is needed to understand exactly how HPV contributes to heart disease.

Scientists are particularly interested in whether reducing HPV infections through vaccination could also help lower heart disease risk.

For now, these findings highlight the importance of keeping an open mind when it comes to assessing cardiovascular risk – and suggest that viruses like HPV may be part of a much larger picture.

Can HPV vaccination reduce heart risks?

The HPV vaccine has long been promoted for its role in preventing cancers linked to the virus, but this new research gives it even more weight. If there’s a connection between HPV and heart disease, the vaccine could end up protecting more than just reproductive health – it might also support cardiovascular health down the line.

Raising awareness about the broader effects of HPV could encourage more people to get vaccinated or talk to their doctors about eligibility.

It could also shift public perception, showing that this isn’t just a vaccine for teens – it’s a preventive step that may affect health outcomes in multiple ways.

If future studies confirm that HPV vaccination can reduce heart disease risks, it would make the case even stronger for expanding access and education around this underused but powerful tool.

The results of this research will be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session.

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