A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has confirmed that individuals hospitalized for severe infections, including respiratory illnesses and sepsis, face a significantly higher long-term risk of developing heart failure.
The ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study, which tracked 14,468 adults over 31 years, found that those hospitalized for infections were 2.35 times more likely to develop heart failure within seven years. This increased risk was independent of socio-demographic or pre-existing medical conditions and applied to a broad range of infections, including respiratory, urological, and hospital-acquired infections.
Heart failure, defined as the inability of the heart to pump blood efficiently, was observed in both forms: heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The study particularly emphasized the link between infections and HFpEF, which is more common in elderly individuals. “These are findings that we should pay attention to,” stated Sean Cody, deputy chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH.
Although the study does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship, it underscores the importance of infection prevention through vaccination and hygiene.
