Chronic hepatitis C virus infection and atherosclerosis risk

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are both diseases with significant global impact through increased prevalence in the general population, and the increased mortality rates. Accumulating evidence suggests the role of HCV infection as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and especially for atherosclerosis, being described multiple pathogenic mechanisms that correlates the two affections. Based on these observations we consider essential the screening for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk assessment in patients chronically infected HCV.