24 Dec 2025 • Survivors of tuberculosis (TB) carried a significantly higher burden of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease compared with matched controls.

In an analysis of more than 70,000 TB survivors followed for nearly six years, 5.9% experienced a cardiovascular event versus 4.8% of controls. Cardiovascular disease incidence was higher in the TB group at 1,035 per 100,000 person-years versus 801 per 100,000 person-years in controls. Prior TB was associated with a 31% increased risk of overall cardiovascular disease (aHR 1.31), including myocardial infarction (aHR 1.25), arrhythmia (aHR 1.42), heart failure (aHR 1.67), and cerebrovascular accident (aHR 1.13).

The findings position TB as a long-term cardiocerebrovascular risk factor beyond its infectious course.

Source: International Journal of Infectious Diseases | Read full story