Chronic Inflammation Linked to 43% Higher Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds

A new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, based on data from nearly 480,000 adults in the UK Biobank, suggests that chronic inflammation may silently alter the heart and blood vessels. Individuals with the highest levels of a blood marker for inflammation (glycoprotein acetyls) had a 43% higher risk of heart attack and stroke compared to those with the lowest levels. The research also linked higher inflammation to changes in heart structure, such as thicker heart walls and smaller chambers.