Chronic inflammation linked to hidden heart changes and higher stroke risk
A large UK study found that persistent inflammation, tied to socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, can remodel the heart and raise the chance of heart attack and stroke.
In the biggest investigation of its kind, scientists at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences and Imperial College London analyzed 480,000 adults from the UK Biobank, combining GlycA blood-marker levels with heart scans and genetic data. Participants with the highest inflammation levels—about the top fifth—experienced a 43% greater risk of heart attack or stroke compared with those in the bottom fifth. The study linked chronic inflammation to socioeconomic disadvantage, mental distress, smoking and excess body fat, and identified a genetic factor that may protect some individuals.
While no specific drugs currently target this silent inflammation, trials are under way, and lifestyle measures such as weight control and a Mediterranean diet appear beneficial. The findings suggest that hidden inflammation could be a key bridge between mental health conditions and cardiovascular disease.
