New Delhi, August 19, 2025 — SARS-CoV-2 infection can accelerate the ageing of blood vessels by roughly five years, with the effect more pronounced in women and in people reporting Long COVID symptoms, according to a large international study published in the European Heart Journal. Researchers report higher arterial stiffness after infection, a change linked to future risks such as hypertension, stroke and heart attack. Medical DailyPMCEuropean Society of Cardiology
What the study found
The CARTESIAN (Covid-19 ARTErial StIffness and vascular AgeiNg) collaboration analysed vascular ageing markers in participants who had recovered from COVID-19 and compared them with uninfected controls. The team observed a clinically meaningful rise in arterial stiffness, translating to an estimated ~5-year increase in “vascular age”. Effects were strongest in women and those with persistent post-COVID symptoms, though stiffness tended to stabilise or improve over time in follow-up assessments. Medical DailyPMC
Why it matters
Arterial stiffness reflects endothelial injury and inflammation. When it increases, the heart works harder to push blood through the body, raising long-term cardiovascular risk. The findings add a vascular explanation for the elevated rates of blood pressure spikes, dysautonomia and microthrombotic events that clinics have documented after infection. For health systems, the signal is clear: screen recovered patients—especially women—for heart and vascular risk, and offer targeted prevention. PMC
How robust is the evidence?
CARTESIAN was conceived early in the pandemic as a multi-country, harmonised study using standardised arterial stiffness measurements (e.g., pulse wave velocity). Its protocol and trial registration pre-specified endpoints, centres and methods, strengthening the quality of its evidence base. ResearchGateClinicalTrials
Clinical takeaways (India focus)
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Prioritise vascular checks after COVID—blood pressure, lipids, HbA1c and, where feasible, arterial stiffness estimates in high-risk groups.
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Counsel women who had moderate–severe COVID or persistent symptoms about heart-healthy routines and red-flag signs (resting tachycardia, exertional chest discomfort, unexplained fatigue).
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Manage risk factors early with lifestyle, appropriate medications and follow-up, since stiffness may partially recede over time with recovery and control of inflammation. Medical Daily
Expert context
Cardiology societies have warned since 2021 that COVID-19 can disrupt the endothelium and speed “early vascular ageing.” The new analysis adds scale and sex-specific detail, prompting calls for post-infection cardiovascular surveillance in national programmes
