Syphilis Linked to Higher Risk of Stroke, Heart Attack, and Aortic Aneurysm: Tulane Study

Syphilis cases are surging across the United States, particularly in Southern states, and a new study from Tulane University researchers has uncovered a troubling link between the infection and serious cardiovascular problems. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, suggest that long-term syphilis may lead to severe damage to the heart and blood vessels, including stroke, heart attack, and aortic aneurysm.

Key Findings: Syphilis and Cardiovascular Risks

The study analyzed electronic health records from three New Orleans hospitals over 15 years (2011–2026) and compared 1,469 adults with syphilis to 7,345 people without the infection. To isolate the relationship, researchers excluded patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. After adjustments, the results showed:

• Twice the risk of aortic aneurysm or dissection
• 53% higher risk of ischemic stroke
• 92% higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke
• 31% higher risk of heart attack
• 28% higher risk of peripheral artery disease
• Higher overall mortality risk

This is the first U.S. study to establish a connection between syphilis and peripheral artery disease, a condition characterized by reduced blood flow from the heart, leading to symptoms such as cramping, numbness, and slow-healing wounds.

Syphilis Cases Rising in the U.S.

Syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, has seen an 80% increase in U.S. cases from 2018 to 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The infection is often treatable with antibiotics, including a single dose of penicillin, but long-term, untreated syphilis may pose additional, life-threatening cardiovascular risks.

Expert Insights on the Study

“This is one of the few modern large population studies to find that syphilis can be associated with catastrophic cardiovascular and neurologic effects.”

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US and with syphilis cases rising recently, this association is something that all providers treating high-risk patients need to be aware of.”

Corresponding author Amitabh C. Pandey, director of Cardiovascular Translational Research at Tulane University School of Medicine, emphasizes that this study is an early step toward understanding how infectious diseases like syphilis may contribute to cardiovascular risk, potentially through mechanisms not yet fully understood.

Study Limitations

As a retrospective study, the findings indicate an association between syphilis and cardiovascular problems but do not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms and confirm these findings.