COVID-19 Impacts Cardiac Arteries: 6 Types of Foods to Safeguard Your Heart

New research continues to support that a heart-healthy diet is vital to the the preservation of cardiovascular well-being.

Recent research has found that the COVID-19 virus directly infects cardiac arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Lightspring/shutterstock

Recent research has found that the COVID-19 virus can directly infect cardiac arteries, increasing the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and stroke, and even leading to persistent long COVID symptoms. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in individuals who already have cardiovascular diseases, as the virus tends to accumulate within atherosclerotic plaques.

In addition to causing respiratory symptoms, COVID-19 infection also elevates the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies have found that the likelihood of stroke in COVID-19 patients is more than seven times higher than in those with influenza.

A study published in the Nature Cardiovascular Research journal on Sept. 28 elucidated the mechanism through which COVID-19 increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for COVID-19 not only triggers the body to produce a substantial amount of inflammatory factors but can also directly infect cardiac arteries, exacerbating inflammation within atherosclerotic plaques, and ultimately leading to heart attacks and strokes.

The researchers examined coronary artery samples from eight patients who had succumbed to COVID-19 between May 2020 and May 2021. All eight patients had a prior diagnosis of coronary artery disease. The results revealed that SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA is detectable and replicates in the coronary lesions of these patients.

In in vitro experiments on human carotid arteries, SARS-CoV-2 was found to stimulate macrophages and foam cells, triggering a robust inflammatory response and the release of cytokines known to trigger cardiovascular events, such as interleukin-1β and interleukin-6. Lipid-laden macrophages (foam cells) can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and plaque formation. Notably, the COVID-19 virus infects macrophages at a higher rate compared to other arterial cells, with cholesterol-laden foam cells being particularly susceptible to infection and challenging to clear once infected.

The researchers believe that for patients with pre-existing atherosclerosis, the virus proliferates significantly at the arterial plaque sites. Natalia Eberhardt, the lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at NYU Langone Health, explained, “The virus creates a highly inflammatory environment that could make it easier for plaque to grow, rupture, and block blood flow to the heart, brain, and other key organs.”

In addition to causing strokes, the virus’s invasion of the coronary arteries may also be linked to long COVID symptoms. Chiara Giannarelli, the corresponding author of the study and a cardiologist, suggested that the immune cells most closely associated with atherosclerosis may serve as reservoirs for the virus, potentially allowing it to persist in the body over time.

Reducing Cardiovascular Disease Risk Through Healthy Eating

As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, it is essential to prioritize cardiovascular health. In July of this year, the European Heart Journal published a study that involved 147,642 individuals from 21 countries, examining how a healthy diet contributes to the preservation of cardiovascular well-being.

During an average follow-up period of 9.3 years, it was found that, compared to the least healthy diet (scoring 1 point or lower), the healthiest diet (scoring 5 points or higher) reduced the risk of mortality by 30 percent, cardiovascular disease by 18 percent, myocardial infarction (heart attack) by 14 percent, and stroke by 19 percent.

The healthy diet score was developed based on six food categories associated with longevity, including:

1. Fruit: Two to three servings per day.
2. Vegetables: Two to three servings per day.
3. Legumes: Three to four servings per week.
4. Nuts: Seven servings per week.
5. Fish: Two to three servings per week.
6. Dairy products: 14 servings per week.

A score of 1 (healthy) was assigned to intake above the median, while a score of 0 (unhealthy) was assigned to intake equal to or below the median, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 6.

Key to a Heart-Healthy Diet: Diverse Natural Foods

The researchers also found that, based on data from around the world, the key to a heart-healthy diet is the consumption of diverse natural foods, rather than restricting intake to specific food categories.

Andrew Mente, a researcher at the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, stated in a press release that low-fat diets have been in the public spotlight, but this study suggests that the priority should be increasing the consumption of protective foods like nuts, fish, and dairy, rather than restricting the intake of nuts and whole-fat dairy.