27 - Viral infections and cardiometabolic complications (12 min)

Most people recognize that acute inflammation occurs when a person experiences a viral illness. However, many people are unaware that this inflammatory response can increase risk for cardiometabolic events. In this episode, Dr Marc Penn and Maeson Latsko, PhD, discuss how viral infections such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 trigger inflammation, which can destabilize plaque, accelerate atherosclerosis, and increase the likelihood of cardiovascular events. A cardiometabolic risk assessment is an essential tool to reduce cardiovascular events linked to viral illnesses. This episode will Explain how acute and chronic viral illness increase cardiovascular risk and how vaccinations and infection prevention strategies are key for lowering viral-related cardiovascular complications (1:00) Highlight how metabolic dysfunction such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, obesity, and MASLD amplifies the cardiovascular impact of viral infections (7:00) Demonstrate how noninvasive screening tools such as the FIB-4, hs-CRP, and ApoB help identify high-risk patients (9:00) To learn more, please review the additional resources below for information on our cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and wellness offerings as well as educational resources and insights from our team of experts. At Quest Diagnostics, we are committed to providing you with results and insights to support your clinical decisions. Date: December 2025 Speaker(s):  Maeson Latsko, PhD; Marc Penn, MD Contributor(s): Maeson Latsko, PhD; Trisha Winchester, PhD; Millicent Kee, MSN, FNP-BC   Additional Resources Quest Diagnostics Clinical Education Center [Link] Website: Cardiometabolic disease | Quest Diagnostics Ordering information: Cardiometabolic Disease Assessment (CMDA) Panel References:   Kawai K, Muhere CF, Lemos EV, Francis JM. Viral infections and risk of cardiovascular disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025;14(21):e042670. doi:10.1161/JAHA.125.042670 Kobayashi E, Linden-Santangeli NJ, Chan N, et al. Longitudinal metabolic trajectories in diabetes prevention program participants reveal subgroups with varying micro- and macrovascular complication risks. Diabetes Care. 2025;48(10):1704-1712. doi:10.2337/dc25-0866