title: Cardiovascular disease and hepatitis C virus infection: an irrelevant statement or a hot relationship?
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is well known for being the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis, contributing to a devastating array of metabolic dysfunctions associated with hepatic failure. However, the cardiac manifestations of HCV and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are being explored, thus illuminating the connection between HCV infection and cardiac disease. Although not all studies agree, the evidence in favor of CHC promoting major risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, and atherosclerosis is compelling. Similarly, properly warranted attention is being guided towards CHC as an independent risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic heart disease and cardiomyopathy. This review provides a synopsis on the relationship between (HCV) infection and cardiac disease, emphasizing on some of the key possible mechanisms and population derived data.
authors.affiliation: From the *1st Cardiology Department, Hippokration Hospital/Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece; †Cardiology Department Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece; and ‡General Hospital, Chios, Greece.
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Katsi
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Felekos
authors.forename: Stamatios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skevofilax
authors.forename: Constantina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aggeli
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tousoulis
authors.forename: Christodoulos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanadis
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kallikazaros
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents